I love our city. I love shopping at the market, I love dining al fresco at Chez Piggy in the summertime, and I love running into people I know every time I leave my apartment (even on those 8am still half asleep dog walks). But, I have been so sad lately - every time I walk downtown, it looks like another business has shut its doors. The big one was S&R last summer...the Body Shop disappeared...the list goes on. This makes me sad because (a) I like shopping in downtown Kingston, and (b) The business part of me is saddened to see lovely little boutiques not making it.
It's easy to see why businesses are closing - constant construction, lack of parking, high rent, and more and more box stores (again, guilty!) opening up just outside of downtown. That being said, I love a good Princess Street shop as much as the next girl. So, I urge you to go and have a little splurge downtown. Pick up a frame at Willow. Try on a dress at Agent 99. Pop into the Gap - oh please, Gap, don't leave us!
Of course, being a glass half-full kind of girl, I'm staying positive. The Brock Street shops are bustling like never before. Jen Storey, of Dwell, told me that her shop has been extra busy with all the redirected traffic from the Princess Street construction. And I even heard that that the construction workers are keeping places like Bubbas bumping. So it's not all bad. Ben & Jerry's may be gone from Kingston forever, but Sima Sushi has opened up in its place, and I've been doing my part to support them. And with spring just around the corner, maybe we'll see some fabulous new shops open up!
And so, in the name of promoting our local businesses, I will be showcasing a few of my favs over the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned! I'll probably have to go on a few little shopping expeditions - research, of course.After all, a girl's gotta do her part for the economy!
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