TICONDEROGA — Every space in the shopping-center parking lot was filled when the new Peebles Department Store opened Thursday morning.
The store employs 12 people, plus Manager Jessica Karcher, who was outside greeting customers.
“It certainly is a big crowd,” she said as people swarmed by. “I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know if there would be that big a turnout. I’m excited everybody is here.”
The new store joins Advance Auto Parts, Dollar Tree, RiteAid Drugs and Aaron’s Rental Center in the Four Corners shopping center in Ticonderoga.
A former Malone resident, Karcher now resides in Crown Point. She became store manager a month ago, after working at the company’s Malone location.
“I only started working for Peebles four months ago, as a sales associate,” she said. “I was promoted to assistant manager after eight weeks, and now manager. It’s a success story.”
OPENING WEEKEND
Karcher said she loves the area and is glad she took the Ticonderoga job.
“I’m ecstatic. I’ve been going around visiting businesses the last few weeks to tell them about our opening.”
Peebles will be open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. It will open at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday for opening weekend.
District Manager Brian Stewart said workers really pitched in so they could open Thursday.
“The associates got the store ready in record time. I’m very proud of all of them. We’re glad to be here, and we appreciate the support from the community.”
FORMERLY TOPS
Ticonderoga Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Matthew Courtright was at opening of the store.
“We’re thrilled to have Peebles join the chamber and the business community,” he said. “We’ve been working with Peebles and Stage Stores since last fall, when they contacted the chamber to provide them with an array of area and demographic information.”
Peebles is owned by Stage Stores Inc., which operates stores at 800 locations in 40 states. Stage Stores operates under the Peebles, Bealls, Goody’s, Palais Royal and Stage names, and had retail sales of about $1.5 billion in 2010.
The store offers clothing, accessories and cosmetics for women and juniors as well as men’s and children’s apparel.
Peebles took a storefront formerly occupied by Tops Friendly Markets, which closed five years ago, and before that, Grand Union Markets.
Email Lohr McKinstry:
lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com
