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The ‘Doctor’ is in by Joshua
Maloni “Mom and pop” shops have gotten a bad rap over the years. Mention any big-name corporation, and the first thing people wonder is what effect it will have on localized merchants. The assumption is that for every Wal-Mart, Target or Starbucks, a “little guy” is forced out of commission. That’s not the case in Lewiston, where a bevy of “mom and pop” stores have survived an influx of conglomerates. Despite smaller staffs, fewer hours and less money to market, these shops have been successful because, as Mary “Toddy” St. Laurent of The Country Doctor says, “We have a following.” “We feel our business is different enough that people will seek us out,” co-worker Gretchen Broderick said of her store, though the same could be said for the entirety of small businesses on Center and Ridge streets. Perhaps no business signifies the resiliency and profitability of these shops better than The Country Doctor. When the antique store lost its lease on the corner of Fifth and Center streets – the future home of a First Niagara Bank – Broderick, St. Laurent and a half-dozen co-workers didn’t throw in the towel, but rather moved down the street to a new and improved location. “Last year, we saw an improvement,” St. Laurent said of business, and the ability to continue on. “We just weren’t sure of a place to go.” Co-op workers were presented with an opportunity to lease space from Ed and Diane Finkbeiner, who offered help in resettling the decade-old store. “They’ve been so encouraging, so accommodating,” Broderick said. Now situated in the gray building at 756 Center St., The Country Doctor will celebrate its grand opening Mother’s Day weekend with a celebration featuring raffles, prizes, discounts and refreshments. In addition to a wide variety of primitive and Victorian antiques, The Country Doctor will feature garden ware in a garden-like outdoor barn setting. The Country Doctor |
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