BY MAGGIE M, Editor, the wedge.LIVE ❤️ Share buttons like Facebook at story’s end !
Towns and small city retailers in the wedge are responding aggressively to shoppers’ demands for deals this Christmas season. Shopping local has acquired “cachet” over the last few years, thanks to the tireless efforts of town associations and a spirit of collaboration.
Downtown Arnprior shops (the town is beautifully revitalized) will deliver more than deep deals this Black Friday and some, the week to follow.
Shoppers will experience live music, hot cider, hot chocolate, candy canes, cookies, caroling, and plain ‘ol Christmas fun as no chain or computer screen can deliver–from morning till midnight. Shoppers may even spot someone from the North Pole for a selfie. Show one invoice from “The Big Six,” at The 2 Grands on Elgin Street West and get a free appetizer. Baboom!
Who are “The Big Six” ?
Yoga Jeans 35% OFF, 70% OFF warehouse stock, 50% ALL Plus Sizes, Jade and Laney Boutique, BLACK FRIDAY DOWNTOWN ARNPRIOR, Ontario
JADE AND LANEY BOUTIQUE 14 Elgin Street West Website
Jade & Laney is a family affair run by sisters, Lisa Hogan Lafleche and Lindsay Lynch (the shop is named after their daughters.) Their love for fashion is evident when you set eyes on their beautifully appointed store. Century old brick walls are the perfect backdrop for sought after brands: Gentle Fawn, Kut from the Kloth, Jeanne and Jax, colab, Jack by BBDakota, Dex Clothing and Tenfed (men’s line). Coats, matt and nat footwear, handbags and jewelry join stylish dresses, pants, tops, cardies…. something for every woman.
BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: ALL Yoga Jeans 35% OFF, 70% OFF everything in the J & L Warehouse (at the rear), 50% OFF ALL Plus Size clothing and a few other sales as well.
40% OFF ALL Recycled, Upcycled, Repurposed from 100 year old materials. The Vintage Crate, BLACK FRIDAY DOWNTOWN ARNPRIOR, Ontario
THE VINTAGE CRATE 159 John Street North Website
This shop will send shoppers down memory lane–40s and 50s especially. It is a “feel good” experience that reaches beyond the deal.
Co-Owner, David Pelkey, promises to spoil you with hot cider, candy canes, Christmas tunes–the whole nine yards. Sit at the coffee bar and enjoy the ambience. Or sink into stuffed chairs in the “cabin.”
BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: 40% OFF across the board on recycled, upcycled and repurposed artifacts, all made from 100-year old materials.
30% OFF ALL Home Health Care, 40% OFF ALL giftware and baby ware, 15% OFF natural supplements from Canadian organic lines, Purelabs, Orange Naturals. Clancy’s Drug Store, BLACK FRIDAY DOWNTOWN ARNPRIOR, Ontario
CLANCY’S DRUG STORE 99 John Street North Website
Clancy’s reminds this writer of Mr. Gower’s apothecary, “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Allopathic, homeopathic and naturopathic–this is the stuff of apothecaries established in 1617–along with a general store fare (but not the soda stand.)
Under new ownership, Pharmacist Samantha Boualavong, delivers a unique blend of progressive pharmacy practices. A renovation begins this January; so, a new experience is imminent. Clancy’s offers patients a complete range of clinical and specialty pharmacist services, and medicine consultations.
BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: For entire week (24th-30th), 40% OFF ALL baby ware, 40% OFF ALL giftware, 30% OFF ALL Home Health Care, 15% OFF ALL organic supplements (completely Canadian, organic lines : Purelabs, developed by Pharmacist in Ottawa & Orange Naturals, developed by two Naturopaths in Toronto).
20% OFF ALL Children’s Picture Books, The Arnprior Bookshop, BLACK FRIDAY DOWNTOWN ARNPRIOR, Ontario
THE ARNPRIOR BOOKSHOP 152 John Street North Website
The shop–one of the oldest in Arnprior–remains beautifully merchandised by Owner, Gwen Storie (yes, serendipity in a name!) A few corners are reserved for early childhood, readers and bear-huggers. Unique, high quality toys and games are visible on entry.
Grown-ups will find all the genres they desire, hard and soft cover, fiction and non-fiction. Mary Walsh’s first release, “Crying For The Moon,” may still be in stock.
BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: 20% OFF ALL Children’s Picture Books Friday.
FREE appetizers with a receipt from The Big Six, FREE Gourmet Coffee and lunch at cost, The 2 Grands, BLACK FRIDAY DOWNTOWN ARNPRIOR, Ontario
THE 2 GRANDS 26 Elgin Street West Website
The 2 Grands is a downtown New York-style restaurant-bar and live piano experience.
On the street, you will hear the voice of Owner, Chris Dziekan (“zeekan”), playing on a grand piano inside. “Chesnuts roasting an open fire” by Nat King Cole anyone? He takes requests too–so give your shopping bags a rest and revel.
I’ve heard on the grapevine he shakes a great martini.
BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: 9am-5pm: Free Gourmet Coffee and Lunch@Cost
5pm-1am: Show us a receipt from other participating Black Friday participants and get a free appetizer.
10% OFF ALL Cedar Mountain Studio plaques. The Gallery Giftshop, BLACK FRIDAY DOWNTOWN ARNPRIOR, Ontario
THE GALLERY GIFT SHOP 158 John Street North Website
This shop also shares the title “most established” with the book shop. In fact, they are connected by a doorway. Co-Owner, Tara Pocket, is skilled at procuring unique, mostly Canadian artifacts. Ayala Bar jewelry are a famed exception.
Beautiful Cedar Mountain Studio plaques are hand-crafted–not off the conveyor belt–on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia. Don and Suzanne create original decorative, “lost and found art blocks” designed to “make you stop, read, ponder and laugh.”
Hats, mittens, scarves, unique hand-crafted Christmas ornaments and lots of goodies for Christmas stockings await.
BLACK FRIDAY DEAL : This shop never has sales; so, this deal is a first. 10% OFF ALL Cedar Mountain Plaques/Tiles.
The Wedge 