Independence, service and the vibe: Why these business owners love downtown St. John's

When you walk into an independently owned shop in downtown St. John's, odds are pretty good that if you ask for the owner, they're there.

And that's key to what makes some small businesses successful for decades, some owners say.

Downtown has an environment and a general vibe that you can't find anywhere else in the city, says Barry Strickland.

He's a Swiss-certified watchmaker who has owned and operated Grand Time in the Murray Premises for the last 20 years.

"People just like the ambience because it's mostly owner operated," Strickland says.

"If you want expert and professional service, no matter what you're looking for — whether it's clothing or watches or whatever else — you're going to get the very best of the best downtown."

Despite a constantly shifting economy, changes to downtown parking rules, and an emphasis on stories about businesses closing up shop or moving, Strickland said, things are actually pretty great.

"I think if all the media concentrated a little bit on closures and openings all over town —Torbay Road, Kenmount Road, the malls — you guys would have nothing else to talk about but openings and closings," he said.

"But downtown is actually quite vibrant."

'A lot of loyalty'

It's that special vibe that keeps Strickland downtown, and he can't imagine moving his business elsewhere.

"No, I joke with the owner of the building that he'd have to come get me kicking and screaming to leave here."

That's a sentiment that plenty of independent retailers echo, including Derek Chafe, who runs William L. Chafe and Sons.

This year will mark the 90th year the men's clothing store has been open on Water Street, and Chafe said offering consistent service through the decades has been key.

"Really I think it has to do with the independence factor of it all. I mean, we own the place," he said.

"A lot of loyalty, good service, carry good products that people can't find anywhere else. That'll keep you in business."

Chafe said there have been plenty of changes in the years he's been running the shop, and downtown may look different these days, but the feel is the same.

"The change itself, I think, is just the size of St. John's. Downtown is relatively the same. It's full of a lot of smaller shops, a lot of independent businesses," he said.

"It's still downtown, it still attracts a lot of people. I think with the arrival of so many restaurants and pubs downtown, it's changed a little, but still, I mean, downtown attracts its own characters, and it always did. And for us it's entertaining."

Not without its challenges

But there's no doubt there are some challenges to working in such an old part of town, said Keelin O'Leary, the manager of Nonia.

Nonia has been at its current location on Water Street since the 1950s but has been in business for just shy of a century.

"For the tourism industry, this is an ideal location. We're right in the middle of things and we're easy to find, we're easy foot traffic from the hotels and from the ships. Now also we've been here so long that we're known on this corner, we're identified with this corner, so it's easy for people to find us," O'Leary said.

"And also I think the nature of our business, the kind of goods we produce, downtown is a natural fit for us. We're all about heritage and tradition, so what could be better?"

Things can be challenging, though.

"From a marketing point of view, this is the place for us to be. But operating down here is a challenge … getting product in and out, receiving and delivering, parking for customers who are not on foot," she said.

"We're in a building that's three storeys with no elevator, so there are just a number of logistical challenges from trying to operate in an older building downtown."

Dave Rowe took over O'Brien's Music a few years ago, but it's been in his family since 1939, making this its 80th anniversary year. Rowe said he can't imagine moving the shop elsewhere.

"Part of it was the history of the store. We'd always been in one spot since my grandfather opened, and I grew up around the building and I really had sort of a connection to the property, in addition to the connection to the business," he said.

"Also, there's not really any other music stores in the downtown area, and I thought, where most stores have been pushed out to the outskirts of town, it would be nice to still have a music store in the core."

But despite sentiment, it can be challenging, he said, adding it can be sometimes difficult for any small business.

"Thankfully people know that we're around, but we do try to stay very active with promotion and just to remind people that we're here, because folks have a short memory these days for a lot of things, and so we try to be very active with social media promotion."

'Shopping local is important'

It's lifelong customers, paired with a younger generation making an effort to shop local, that makes all the difference, says John McCarthy.

He owns Benjamin's Menswear, which has been downtown for 30 years.

"Actually, I had a customer in here today who was maybe 20 … and he said, 'You know what, shopping local is important,'" McCarthy said.

"Which is great for me to hear because no doubt [people] my age, 50-plus, very much feel that, but it's great that that younger clientele have kind of felt that local is important. That's my growth. Those 20-year-old customers will give me my next 30 years."

The idea that the store's owner is on hand doesn't hurt, either.

"People enjoy the small, kinda local walk-in, talk to the owner," he said.

"The fact that you can deal with the owners — you have a concern, that person who's kind of there in the store, and very much most of the retailers in the downtown are like that."

'I love it'

No matter what, downtown is home for Gail Decker, who owns Next Clothing Company, which has been in the Bowring building on Water Street for 22 years.

"I decided to open my business in downtown St. John's because I always loved downtown St. John's. It's the heart of our city.… That's where shopping started: downtown," she said.

"It fits downtown. The women come downtown. People like coming downtown. There's restaurants, there's bars — there's lots to do downtown besides shopping.… I love it."

That consistent service is key to Decker, like any of the other store owners.

"I think we've listened to our clients. We give a personal service," she said.

"We have people who have been coming here for 22 years. We've become friends with our clients."

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