Two local entrepreneurs have decided to make the leap from a storefront to a mall location, with hopes of transforming their surroundings.
"Hopefully we'll turn it into a central retail mall again," said Julie Sheldon, who along with her sister Kitty Montigny, own and operate Jump City, a comics and collectibles store which is settling into its new home in the lower level of the 101 Mall and Business Complex in Downtown Timmins.
It opened on Dec. 1, 2014 at 229 Pine St. S., and has slowly but surely entrenched itself in the community.
"We're still a 'baby' store, but we've learned a lot since then, that's for sure," said Sheldon, and added that the 101 Mall is a 'much better location.'
New mall ownership was very accommodating.
'He helped us negotiate a term where we could spend three years here, and see how it worked out. He's trying to get more shops in here, which is nice. Hopefully 'mom and pop' style shops. That would bring a cool character to the mall."
Montigny is excited by the move, saying the new location is 'larger, taller, brighter, and has room to expand.'
"We're really hoping to get life back in here. People coming in, spending locally, having a place to go that's warm, that isn't necessarily super far from their homes," she said.
Among the benefits of moving into the mall are round the clock security, food options, a steadier temperature, and having respite from the effects of industrial operations.
"In our old building, it was shaking because of the mine blasts. I don't think it was too bad until a neighbour of ours started doing some ground work, he had to repair the foundation. So when he had to tear up a lot of the earth, it loosened our foundation. So every time the mine would blast, the whole building would shake and over time I think it loosened some pipes, which then started leaking. So this place is already better," said Montigny.
They credit their father with fostering their interest in comics and cartoons, as he is a huge Spiderman fan.
"We were always interested in this stuff. Then our need to do this peaked because I really wanted stability. Kitty and I wanted to ensure we had a place we could rely on. We knew we could rely on ourselves," said Sheldon, noting they pounced on a vacant niche in the city as another local book shop stopped dealing in comics six months before the opening of Jump City.
Jump City wants to be part of new movement to bring retail back to the 101 Mall. Andrew Autio for TimminsTodayShe added that the 101 Mall is great for them as it is closer to most of the banks, and that it produces more foot traffic.
"More people who wouldn't normally stop in and check us out, do, because they're at the dentist, or optometrist, or chiropodist or whatever else. It's really nice. We've been busier on Mondays and Tuesdays than we've ever been before."
It was a quick move for Jump City. Their last day of operation on Pine Street was Dec. 23, and officially opened at the new location on Jan. 2. They had been prepping the new location since the end of November.
Their 'regular' clientele were bit apprehensive upon learning of the move.
"A lot of them were disheartened because they didn't want to see the old Jump City go. But we managed to keep the old aesthetic and bring it here, and they seemed pleasantly surprised."
Sheldon realizes some might raise an eyebrow about moving into a mall which has been steadily moving away from traditional retail shops in the past two decades, but believes that with the right people involved, the 101 Mall can return to its former bustling glory.
"A lot of people have their doubts. But they had doubts in us at our old location too. You just have to be a leader. You have to show an example that works out, and then people won't be so scared. It's already doing well, because this is usually the slowest month for everyone, and we're doing okay. There hasn't been a dip."
