Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Saying goodbye is easier to do when you've got a new place to go to right away, as Iris Wagner found out earlier this week.

Choice Video in the Panda II Mall was looking bare on Monday afternoon as owner Iris Wagner moved her stock to the store's new location in the Yk Centre West strip mall, which opened yesterday. - Guy Quenneville/NNSL photo

On Monday, Wagner, owner of Choice Video, moved all the stock in her store from the interior of the Panda II Mall, where the store's been located since before she took ownership 16 years ago, to the front strip of Yk Centre West between Golder Associates and Northern Souvenirs, Gifts and Embroidery.

The new Choice Video opened yesterday.

Geographically, it's not a big move, but it will mean significant changes for Choice Video, which will lose approximately one third of its space and some customer traffic, according to Wagner.

Wagner will have to cut back on her inventory, scaling back her selection by about 1,000 movies.

She sold many titles in the weeks leading up to the move.

"The ones that don't rent as well are the ones that went," Wagner said.

The move does mean a fresh start for her business, however. It gives her an opportunity to try things she hasn't before.

"We spruced up the new space and we put a big flat screen TV in there," she said. "We'll be able to display Blu-ray DVDs so people can see what high definition is all about. We've never been able to display it until now."

Wagner received notice six months ago from Northern Property REIT that she would have to move out of the Panda II Mall, which he called her "second home."

"This is where you come to and meet all the people. It's kinda nice. But we have to move on."

Luckily the new space became available three months ago.

"People are happy that we're staying downtown and that we're not closing," said Wagner.

The same cannot be said for her neighbour, Ryan's Restaurant, which received the same news from Northern Property REIT.

Peter Chan, a waiter at the restaurant, said Ryan's owners are moving back to China and will close the restaurant for good at the end of the month.

Northern Property REIT's plans for the mall are unknown, as the company could not be reached for comment.

While she's pushing forward, Wagner will admit the move is bittersweet.

"I'm going to miss it," she said. "You get used to being in one place all the time."