Next month, ever-emptying Barrington Street will suffer yet another closing. Junk & Foibles (1533 Barrington), a longtime tenant on the street, is set to close its doors on March 29. “It breaks our hearts to have to leave,” says owner Sarah Dunsworth. “But it’s just what’s right, right now.” The building that houses Junk & Foibles has been sold, which is one reason Dunsworth and her family have decided to close the family business. The store’s also closing for another, sadder reason: downtown’s diminishing popularity. “We just can’t afford to stay in business in a city that doesn’t have any interest in supporting its local businesses,” says Dunsworth, pointing out that people often take advantage of the lower prices at malls and industrial parks, rather than paying slightly higher prices to help local businesses downtown. “The city is basically organized so that the downtown is dying a slow death,” she adds. Dunsworth’s quick to qualify her disappointment, though: “I don’t want to sound too negative about Halifax…I love Halifax and we’ve loved being here. We have so many great, loyal customers, and we’ve had such a good time being downtown, surrounded by other wonderful local businesses.” The store, known for its nifty vintage and artist-made clothing, accessories and journals, was first opened as an antique and secondhand store on Blowers almost 30 years ago, by Dunsworth’s mom, Elizabeth. Junk & Foibles is currently hosting a liquidation sale, to help sell off all the store’s inventory and fixtures (“Hell, you can even buy my employees,” jokes Dunsworth); everything’s 20 percent off this week and prices will be reduced every week until the store closes. The store’s sister business, the Pretty Things Boutique, isn’t closing, and will be stay open in the Barrington location for the time being. As for Junk & Foibles, don’t count ’em out just yet: “It might not be the end. We may be back,” says Elizabeth Dunsworth. “I kind of hope we will be.” Call the shop with your condolences at 422-7985.
This article appears in Feb 14-20, 2008.
I hate that supporting local business line as an excuse I support local business if the local business is producing or delivering a product or service that is equal or exceeds it’s competitor. Any time I had been in J&F the staff just cahtted amongst them selves and seemed annoyed if you asked questions or want ed to make a purchase. That combine with the fact that they often would have discount retail merchandise inthe racks at prices higher than it would have originally sold for new