New owners have moved into 11 Front St. S, and they’re looking to give the building a fresh lick of paint.
Up until last fall, the property used to house fashion boutique Gypsy Alley when the owners decided to close and sell the building.
Now, real estate company Emerald Realty Co. — led by broker Lindsey Phieffer — is moving in and they want to revitalize the front facade of the building.
“We love downtown Thorold,” the building’s new owner, John Lally, tells ThoroldToday. “The city has done a wonderful job with revamping the downtown so we just hope to add to that.”
11 Front St. S is a protected heritage site so Lally has applied for a grant with the Thorold Heritage Committee.
“This stone building will improve and blend in with the historical look of the quaint downtown area,” reads the application submitted to the committee. “The repairs to masonry will provide a better seal to the building envelope as well as visual appeal.”
As part of the project, the building will receive new signage, chimney and roof repairs.
The property at 11 Front St. S was built circa 1852, and it is known among heritage aficionados as The Stone Store because it was one of the first on Front St. to be made of stone, instead of wood or brick.
Throughout the years it has been a grocery store, a stationery and book store, a TV store, a clothing store, and now a real estate brokerage.
The heritage committee was supposed to convene this morning to go over the grant proposal, but not enough members were able to attend the meeting to discuss the application.
Work on the building’s facade is set to start at the end of April, pending the committee's approval.