‘Eclectic’ store opens downtown - Grand opening set for Nov. 8

Looking for a unique gift for someone on your Christmas list?
You might want to check out the newest store on Scott Street called Living Art Emporium.

“The whole idea was to be eclectic,” explained sole proprietor Melanie Kozik.
“I wanted to carry fun things for women—things you can’t get anywhere else,” she explained.
Although she doesn’t have much retail experience, Kozik said it’s something she’s always wanted to do.
“I thought if I don’t give it a go now, I’d never know,” she reasoned.
Located at 244 Scott St., the store features an array of different products, such as fine silks from India, woodwork from Peru, and accessories from Guatemala, as well as Canadian-made items.
Shoppers will find everything from clothing, jewellery, and purses to wine glasses, cosmetics, and decorative pieces.
Kozik carries products from the Hill Tribe in northern Thailand, which promotes fair trade and helps preserve their cultural identity, as well as hemp products.
And she is accepting local crafts, art, and antiques on consignment.
“I’m more than happy to take items as long as it fits with the theme of the store,” she remarked.
Kozik said she did plenty of research regarding mark-ups on her inventory in attempting to keep her prices as affordable as possible.
“I want [the store] to have a friendly atmosphere,” she noted. “I want people to feel good when they come in here, comfortable.”
In the weeks she spent at the store preparing the building and her stock, Kozik said she sometimes could hear people talking outside as passers-by speculated about what was going on behind the paper-covered windows.
“It really helps that people were curious and excited,” she admitted. “It made me feel enthusiastic.”
She added the other downtown merchants have be very welcoming and helpful in the weeks leading up to the store opening.
While Kozik opened the doors this past Friday, the official grand-opening will be held next Thursday (Nov. 8) with three draws people can enter.
“I’m just encouraging people to come in and check it out,” she said, noting she has more products coming and is expecting a new shipment of stock at the end of the week.
“It’s really nice to have something different in town,” noted one of Kozik’s first customers, who compared the store to “It’s a Girl Thing” over in International Falls.
“And it’s opening at the perfect time because people are starting their Christmas shopping,” she added.
Living Art Emporium will be open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., as well as Saturdays (but those hours are still to be determined).
“This is an exciting adventure and I’m looking forward to the new challenge,” Kozik said.
“Hopefully, this will be an enjoyable and fun store for people to visit.”
For more information, call 274-4912.