Previous
Empty chambers
Downtown Uxbridge became a lonelier place after two of the town's long-standing businesses, Uxbridge Bowl and Strawberry Threads, closed down last month. The familiar 'Uxbridge Bowl' sign still hung near the post office entrance this week, with its stairway remaining locked. In its window, a landlord's notice dated February 9th sticks to the glass. According to a neighbouring business owner, the bowling alley has been in the building since it was built nearly 40 years ago.
Kitty corner on Church and Brock was Strawberry Threads Clothing Inc., a hip women's retail clothing boutique. Located just above the Tin Cup Café, customers would browse through various popular clothing brands with aromas of macchiatos and frappuccinos coming from below. On February 22, the owners posted a letter at the building's entrance, officially announcing the store's closure.
“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the closure of Strawberry Threads. We wish to take this opportunity to thank our amazing customers, community, family and friends, for your love, kindness and support the last five and a half years," they wrote.
Originally established in 1971, Strawberry Threads celebrated its 40th anniversary just last fall. In February's closing letter, the owners highlighted the community's important role in supporting local retailers and service providers into the future.
"We truly believe the downtown core holds the history and the heartbeat of Uxbridge and that all efforts must be made to ensure it thrives today and for the future. Each and every one of the (downtown businesses) puts forth tremendous, tireless effort to bring high levels of service, unique experiences and products to our community."
So two well-respected businesses, thriving in this town for four decades, are gone. Perhaps an imaginative entrepreneur will take over the bowling alley - the pins and lanes are still there - but bowling isn’t the popular family recreational option it used to be, not here at any rate. The sport still does well in other towns, though, so there may be hope. Across the street, however, only a shell remains - all trace of Strawberry Threads is gone.
These two, of course, are not the only shuttered spaces in the downtown. Take a stroll from Frankie’s westward and you pass the former sites of PharmaChoice, Double H Cleaners, Uxbridge Computer Solutions, The Cookhouse, Brockstreet Music... One was vacated just last weekend, but others have been empty for years. Farther along the street, the Mews across from Jersey’s still has vacancies, always has vacancies it seems, and of course the most heartbreaking empty space of all is the old Co-op site.
What lessons can be learned from all these closures? No doubt each case is unique in many ways. But they all have something in common as well - they couldn’t make their business dream work in downtown Uxbridge. And yet, as far as we can tell, many of their neighbours are doing well. Perhaps the BIA or the Chamber of Commerce needs to take a hard look at the downtown and analyze what’s working and what isn’t, to give future shopowners more of a fighting chance at success.
As the owners of Strawberry Threads pointed out, downtown is the heart of our community. But a heart with so many empty chambers, so many rips and tears, doesn’t stand a chance at long-term health. We desperately need to stem the blood loss now.
July 14, 2011
