Essentials Department Store’s move is no secret to its regular customers.
The store, which sells a variety of clothing, yarns and fabrics, has moved from its former location at 729 12th Street to 13th Street.
The move was planned in such a way that the store did not have to shut down before opening again to the public.
While the official opening day was on July 27, a grand opening day is still in the works for a later date.
“It’s a bit smaller, but it has a fresh feel,” said Carrie Rickards, owner and operator of Essentials.
“Everything is new, and the store now better represents the products it carries.”
The new location has garnered some new traffic, but according to Rickards, a lot of familiar faces are still frequently seen around the store.
“We see some same faces, but some new ones too,” Rickards explained. “Our men’s department seems to be busier now too since we’ve moved it up to the front of the store.”
Part of making the smooth transition and keeping a busy customer base has been Essentials long-time standing in Invermere, according to Rickards.
“We’re an established business, so people know where we are now that we’ve moved,” she said.
Essentials still carries the same products as it had at its previous location, but has added some new lines as well, which have been put front and centre in the new store.
“Before the store looked something like a discount store, and it was when people went to look at the products that they realized they were mid to high-line, affordable products,” said Rickards.
“We carry brands like Columbia, for example, and now once you walk into the new store, it shows right away our quality items better than before.”
Rickards adds that feedback has been great about the new location, going on to say that “all feedback has been really happy, people see it as brighter, and it definitely looks more ‘new’.”
Store hours have remained the same: Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 :30 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The store phone number is also still the same: 250-342-9313.