After 20 years in business, Call the Kettle Black closing down

On Monday, January 11, 2016, the owners of Call the Kettle Black announced the long-standing store would be closing at the end of the month.

After two decades in Edmonton’s High Street area, a popular business is closing its doors – and the co-owner says it’s partially due to the closure of the 102 Avenue Bridge over Groat Road.

At the end of January, Call the Kettle Black will close its doors for good – after 20 years on 125 Street and 102 Avenue selling giftware and kitchenware.

Co-owner Darcy Kaser told CTV News that a number of factors led to the decision to close the store – he said it’s difficult to be an independent retailer these days, with the slowing economy and the growth of online shopping.

Kaser also said the closure of the 102 Avenue Bridge over Groat Road has impacted the business.

The bridge was closed in the summer of 2014, the old bridge was torn down and construction started on a new one.

The new bridge was supposed to open months ago, but a construction delay set the opening date back a year.

Kaser said the decision was made to close once he learned of the delay, despite work to attract customers to the area.

“To be in business, you need ultimately more than a cash mob to keep you going, you need regular people coming and more people coming, and that’s the case,” Kaser said. “I think the bridge has made a bit of a difference because I’ve had many customers who come in and say they don’t come as often because of the traffic and parking and things like that.”

With files from Nicole Weisberg