It was eight years ago when I, John, conceived the idea of opening a British store in the Town of Orangeville. It was a bold idea and worked out surprisingly well. I purchased a small commercial condominium unit at the end of a ginnel behind Broadway and, after a couple of months of frantic preparation, we opened the doors to a waiting crowd at 10:00am on the 4th July 2005. We have always appreciated the worldwide celebration of the event that takes place every year.
Within 18 months the premises I had bought proved too small and too secluded. We found a new location right in the heart of Orangeville's traditional main shopping district. Our neighbours are the big box stores like Staples, Leons, Canadian Tire and Future Shop.
After a couple of more years, with business running at a steady pace, Blighty's opened a second store in Elora. The end of the economic downturn was in sight and we hoped to parlay the success of our first store into a chain of stores around southern Ontario. Alas, it was not to be. The end of the economic downturn remains elusive and the Elora store closed 18 months later.
Now we are looking into the future and making fresh plans for Blighty's Tuck Store that we hope will bring refreshing changes and a bright new outlook. No announcements this week, so this is a bit of a teaser but, watch out for "This Week At Blighty's" next week for a happy announcement that will launch Blighty's Tuck Store into a new era.
...And Admit That The Waters Around You Have Grown
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