Jun 25, 2008
Not enough customers, downtown store closingBy Don FraserStCatharinesStandard.ca

A prominent gift-and-home-decor store in downtown St. Catharines is closing at the end of the month.

White On White, which has been in the core for seven years, is known for its white, silver and glass home decor items and accessories.

The 5 James St. boutique has been a popular spot for shoppers seeking stylish wedding presents and Christmas gifts.

The store was started by friends Kelly Exelby and Cheri O’Reilly in 2001. Four years later it was relocated to James Street from its small King Street site.

In 2003, the owners earned a Niagara Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the emerging entrepreneur category. White On White has also been profiled in various lifestyle magazines.

Exelby said sales have not been strong enough to justify keeping the business open.

“We started as a little, tiny store and then thought we needed to be a little busier, so we moved to a larger place and hoped it would eventually be busier,” said Exelby. “We’d been trying to increase our exposure and sales, (but) it’s just not enough.”

Exelby said a modest number of mostly downtown professionals tend to shop at upscale giftware and home accessory stores in the core like White On White. “That community is supporting all of us and it just doesn’t seem to be enough,” she said.

Shanna Little, a systems analyst for the Niagara Health System, is a White On White shopper who regrets the store’s pending demise.

“It’s really another loss for the downtown area,” Little said, as she browsed inside the shop. “I’m from St. Catharines, and (stores like White On White) are what attracts us back to the downtown,” she said.

Harmony — specializing in body care products, home and baby items — will take over the White On White space in July. Patticakes Cupcake Cafe, which also operates out of the James Street location, will stay open.

“I’m happy our space will be with a store that’s lovely,” Exelby said. She said she and O’Reilly haven’t made firm career plans yet.

St. Patrick’s Coun. Mark Elliott, who co-owns the Elliott and Company home decor store on St. Paul Street, said the loss is “unfortunate and a very sad thing.

“White on White has been one of the premier stores in the downtown,” Elliott said. “They’ve had lots of public and national exposure. It’s certainly one of the standout shops.”

Elliott said he has spoken to other, mostly smaller retailers in St. Catharines and the 905 area, who are reporting that the last 12 to 18 months were “very difficult” ones.

“It’s been a challenging environment for everyone,” Elliott said, citing big-box store competition and the effect of high gas prices on shipping costs.

“I’ve known for some time that (other) stores were struggling downtown,” Elliott said, without specifying.

City council is working on a number of measures, including two-way traffic, addressing parking and safety issues and a downtown master plan, to help stimulate the core, Elliott said.

from StCatharinesStandard.ca © 2008


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