SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A 15-year-old Yellowknife music store will be moving to bigger and better digs early next year.

Jim White, owner of Fiddles & Stix Music Centre, stands in front of the future home of his store on 52 Street. The music store is currently based in the basement of Scotia Centre and will move locations in February. - Guy Quenneville/NNSL photo

Fiddles & Stix Music Centre, currently located in the lower level of Scotia Centre, will move a block away to 5018 52 Street, reopening in its new and larger location in February.

"I find that most of the landlords in town, or the property owners, all seem to want to build office space. Nobody seems to be concerned about providing reasonably-priced retail space," said owner Jim White.

White got lucky when he set his sights on a new location for his business.

"We had the opportunity when the old Office Plus stationary building was up for sale," said White. "We planned on moving the store there.

"Not a month after we had purchased the place, Nova Builders approached us, (saying) that they would like to buy that building because they own the three lots right next to that."

White and Nova reached an agreement whereby the developer would purchase the Office Plus building but also construct a new home for Fiddles and Stix, across from the Nova Building on 52 Street.

While this wasn't White's original plan, in retrospect - given the restrictions of the store's current location - it all worked out for the best, said White.

"There were still a few problems with moving into a 40-year-old building, so it seems to have worked out for the best," he said.

"In this space, we've got 1,300 square feet, but we're having to rent outside warehouse space for storage, plus we have to rent a storage space down the hall," he said. "We're very cramped in this space.

"The new building will allow us to devote the full main floor to the retail store. Any storage will be on the second floor." The third floor will be taken up by apartments owned by White.

Most importantly, the new 2,100 square foot venue will enable White to display his merchandise the way he wants it. He currently has so little room that he can only display some guitars in one colour, making customers think he doesn't offer them in other colours, he said.

The height of the ceiling - barely eight feet - is also a sticking point with White.

"I mean, we barely have room to put up the track lighting here. You're standing and the track light's about a foot above your head," he said.

"With backpacks, two people can't walk down the same aisle without banging into each or knocking a guitar on the wall.

"One bang and you get the domino effect and four guitars get taken out. It's just a few dents and stuff, but it's like cars: a few scratches on brand new cars and it drops the value."

As of Monday, Nova was completing the roof of the new store.

"We hope to be ready and open for business February 1," said White.