St. Catharines Downtown Association

Old retail neighbours, separated by disaster, are reuniting again.

Last July, a blaze ripped through two buildings on St. Paul Street near William Street.

It all-but destroyed well-known St. Catharines businesses Out of the Past and Liberty! Bicycles.

Eight months later, the stores have risen from the ashes to re-emerge at new downtown digs.

Out of the Past clothing and accessories at 340 St. Paul St is offering customers a "sneak peak" Saturday and has its grand opening May 1.

Meanwhile, a new Liberty is taking shape across the street at the Niagara Artists Centre's former site on 2 Bond St.

For people connected to both stores, the past months have been a blur.

"I've been moving things from one end to the other, and then it's off to The Home Depot, then back here and back there," chuckled Lizz Yakovich, co-owner of Out of the Past in St. Catharines, with store founder Tammy Ziegler.

"It's really exciting to be back on St. Paul Street," Yakovich added. "We miss our customers, they're our friends.

"We were here for a long time and I've worked with Tammy off-and-on since 1997.

"We have the same neighbours with Liberty and this part of St. Paul is completely different now and becoming quite the hub."

Liberty owner Kurt Gwisdek laughs ruefully that he's been put through the wringer getting his business restarted. Liberty had been at its original location since 1992.

For a while after the fire, Gwisdek used temporary digs on St. Paul and has continued customizing bikes at his home.

"We're getting there, but it's been the worst headache of my entire life," he said.

"It's so multifaceted; trying to maintain a business ... sort through an insurance legal battle and get the building up and running."

Gwisdek said he's eager to get back in the saddle and "take care of people" by the middle of April.

"Call me crazy," he laughed.

An official Liberty opening date hasn't yet been set.

Please see story in The St. Catharines Standard by D. Fraser at:

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2508188