Local ladies open two new shops in downtown Granby
Granby’s downtown business district has seen a revitalization lately with the addition of several new businesses and facade improvements for several more; now one family is adding two new businesses – The Studio and The Alphabet Shop – side by side, in the heart of Middle Park.
The two new stores are just getting up and running. The Studio officially opened on Sept. 5 while The Alphabet Shop is set to open Monday. The two stores are adjacent each other at 150 East Agate in the building sitting between the old Western Guncraft building and the Blue Spruce.
The Studio and The Alphabet Shop are a collaborative venture between Jill Buckingham and two of her daughters, Jena Anaya and Juliet Shams. The Studio offers dance classes for kids ages two to 18, couples ballroom dancing lessons, and line dancing classes on Saturday. Additionally The Studio offers balance and fitness classes including yoga, isometric rope training, pilates and more. Also on offer are singing and acting classes with singing instruction led by Juliet. Check out their Facebook page – The Studio Granby – for their full class schedule.
Opening next week, right next door to The Studio in the same building, will be The Alphabet Shop. Buckingham described the store as a “high end second hand store”.
“The Alphabet Shop will be a great place for people to come and get gifts of all kinds,” Buckingham said. “But in the same breath, we have everything from rugs to bed spreads to heaters and household items as well. It takes on a gift shop look, but has everything, from A to Z.”
The items on sale in The Alphabet Shop are all hand picked by Buckingham and her daughters. Buckingham stressed the Shop accepts only gently used quality items. “There is no junk in there,” Buckingham said.
The Alphabet Store also accepts donations, though by appointment only. After Monday the Shop will be open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.. Monday through Thursday. The store features an eclectic decor including aspen tree limbs subtly highlighting the rustic, frontier era charm of The Alphabet Shop.
Buckingham said she and her daughters still have plans to paint the building’s exterior this year and hope to complete the work before the start of winter. Already this year the ladies and some friendly helpers have done significant remodeling and repair work that they estimated took roughly 1,500 total hours.
“We spent hundreds of hours getting 75 years worth of stuff out of here,” Buckingham said. “We did all this by hand. It took us six months to get these two rooms in order.”
The ladies painted walls, repaired holes, fixed a leaking roof, installed mirrors and spent more time than they would like to remember removing layer upon layer of linoleum glue and other gunk to expose the building’s beautiful hardwood floor, which dancers will now train upon.
As the two stores get up and running Anaya is offering some discounts and deals for dance students. Students can receive a 10 percent discount for referrals that result in enrollment. The Studio will also offer a free dance day on Sept. 24 when prospective patrons can come in and experience what The Studio has to offer. The Studio is planning winter and spring recitals as well and plan to hold a Halloween Funhouse for Granby’s Trick or Treat Main Street.
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