With businesses closing in Timaru’s Stafford St, remaining business owners are doing their best to keep the heart of the CBD ticking.
Kidstuff owner Dorothy Tucker and the business’ marketing manager, daughter Kaitlyn Tucker, recently saw an opportunity to expand their retail offering, on learning Biddy’s Antiques was departing Variety Lane and its main street shop.
“Dorothy had an epiphany when she saw the space was coming available,” Kaitlyn said.
“There used to be a doorway (from the Kidstuff premises to the Variety Lane store) and she thought, ‘why not expand?’
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“With so many closing down, we thought we’d take the opportunity to grow the business.
“We felt it would be a good opportunity to give us more space to spread out for display. Sometimes with buggies in the main store, it can feel congested.”
The expansion required access to be built from the main store into the Variety Lane premises which now had racks of clothing and accessories for sale with a formal opening planned for Monday.
“We thrived in Covid and worked hard. We decided ‘let’s make it work for us,’ and it’s been going in our favour. We hope to get busier and…