New shop aims to breathe new life into historic building in Sydney, N.S.

Owners of the new store 'Of Kin and Keep,' that recently opened in Sydney, N.S. (Ryan MacDonald, CTV Atlantic)

In generations past, the old Crowell’s building on Charlotte Street in Sydney, N.S., was a busy department store.

“This building was the hub of downtown,” said Kayla Miller, one of four women who have opened Of Kin and Keep, a new shop in the old building.

Their goal, she said, is to breathe new life into the old walls.

“This is something completely different for Sydney,” said Stephany Pinhorn, another of the owners.

The group said they want to create a space that is not a traditional store but more of a community marketplace.

Vintage items and antiques line the walls. The women are inviting people to come in and do more than shop.

“We’re trying to make this an experience where people can come down and have a community space,” Pinhorn said. “Where they can sit and have a coffee from all the different shops or come read a book from the local bookstores around here.”

A number of stores have closed in downtown Sydney in recent years. Some old storefronts are boarded up.

“Our vision is to really try to bring the life back into downtown,” Miller added.

A lot of downtown businesses are closed in the evening but the owners of Of Kin and Keep are staying open until 8 p.m. hoping some other businesses will follow suit.

“This is something that I think will change the scope of downtown Sydney for the better for all businesses,” Pinhorn said.

Gerd Bruckschwaiger is selling some of his art out of the new space.

“I happened to just walk in and look around, and the girls adopted me,” said Bruckschwaiger. His old tailor shop was on Charlotte Street during the Crowell’s building heyday. He also believes getting people through the doors could benefit the rest of downtown.

“The specialty shops like this hopefully will bring it back to a better level,” he said.

The new shop’s owners said people who have vintage items of local interest around their homes are invited to bring them in to add to their historical collection and the shared cultural experience that is part of their business plan.

The building’s history dates back well over 100 years. The original Crowell’s store was destroyed in 1901 by a fire that damaged a large portion of Charlotte Street.

The Crowell’s department store closed in 1999. Smaller businesses have occupied the building in the years since.

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