A new retail business will be opening in downtown Virden later this year, owned and operated by Christy Gabrielle – one of two property owners burned out in last fall’s disastrous downtown fire.
Gabrielle has purchased the former Virden School and Office Supplies building across the street from her previous property.
She is currently redoing the wiring and ceilings at 447 7th Ave. S, preparing the space to reopen as a junior and women’s clothing store.
“There’s much less work needed than at the other building. For the commercial space, it’s mostly cosmetic. And a fire barrier for the ceiling since there’s an apartment above.”
Last fall, Gabrielle was in the process of renovating the former Future Features store to create a retail space at street level when the Source store next door caught fire, consuming both structures.
Gabrielle says she decided not to rebuild on that site because the insurance wasn’t sufficient to cover the cost of building new.
But she always knew she wanted another heritage building to restore for her own retail use.
Meanwhile, her 50’ x 100’ vacant lot is now up for sale but so far, she says, no serious bites.
