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Celebrations moving from downtown store
By ANDY FASNACHT
Ephrata Review
Published: Jul 09, 2008 11:08 AM EST
EPHRATA - What's good news for a well-known local company will likely be viewed as
sad news for downtown Ephrata.
On Tuesday, owners Kirby and Renee
Kopp announced that their business Adventures Aloft, Inc./Celebrations!
will be moving from their location at 24 E. Main St., in the former
Sprecher's Hardware building, at the end of the month. They have not yet
officially named their next location.
They said that after 13 years
in the retail business, they will be expanding their business segments that
provide them with the most enjoyment and opportunity such as wedding and
event planning and coordination; balloon decorating and deliveries; event
decorating and prop rentals for theme parties; annual bridal show
production at the Lancaster Host Resort; wedding and event flowers;
sympathy and funeral flowers for the family; tuxedo rentals; invitations
for all events and hot air balloon rides.
Renee went on to explain
that the expansion of the business does not require a storefront but rather
complete focus on the aforementioned areas.
"I've been decorating
events since 1989," says Renee, "As I approach my 20th year in business,
much of my customer contact and event planning is done over the phone,
through the Internet, and at the venue itself. Meeting at the storefront
appears to be less important to the majority of my clients than it used to
be."
She was asked how long she has been considering this
change.
"For many years, even back to when our store was in Akron,
we discussed being an "Event Only Florist" and decorator, but we just
didn't seem to have the confidence at the time to make the transition of
saying good-bye to our daily sales and deliveries," Renee said. "But, like
most businesses, we are constantly looking at how our new customers find
us. In one recent study we found that very consistently our new customers
were coming from either the Internet or from referrals from other
businesses, and not related to our location and they were coming to us for
larger events, not deliveries and walk-in sales. With all the advancements
in technology, the changes in how consumers shop, and our recent increase
in our wedding planning and event decorating segments of the business, it
seemed to make the whole decision fit together at this
time."
It was in August of 2004, Celebrations! moved their
retail location from Akron to the historic Sprecher's building.
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"We'll really miss being downtown" reflects Renee. "Although we are really
excited to make this transition and move to the next level, there is
sadness when I think about not seeing all the regular walk-in customers who
became our friends. I can only hope they will keep in
touch!"
Downtown Ephrata Inc.'s Executive Director Marsha
DiBonaventuro says she came to town about the same time Celebrations!
did.
"It was the first major project DEI supported with business
technical assistance,' DiBonaventuro recalled Tuesday. "Renee has always
been a downtown advocate and was a strong participant and team player when
it came to cooperative activities sponsored by DEI or the Merchant's
Association. For many, their attractive store front and window displays
helped set the standard for other downtown businesses.
"Seeing
Celebrations! leave downtown is bittersweet," she continued. "They will be
missed, but the decision to narrow their focus on their greater
revenue-generating activities in an already tight market makes perfect
business sense, and the building improvements they were required to make
for occupancy ensured the continuing protection of one of Ephrata's many
beautiful and locally historic buildings."
DiBonaventuro was also
asked how she now goes about the task of finding another business to take
over the key site.
"Over the last four years, downtown Ephrata has
seen a net result of many new businesses," she said. "Certainly, the number
of new retailers has seen a very healthy increase. As the downtown grows
stronger with new businesses that are sustainable over the long term, the
interest in downtown (increases) among more mature businesses looking to
expand their market area or expand. In the case of the Sprecher building,
it is these latter businesses that will serve as a pipeline for finding a
successor to that site. DEI has access to resources that can facilitate
such progress. In the meantime, DEI will continue to market the downtown as
a destination for growing businesses to that pipeline."
As for the
timeline, Celebrations! will be open for walk-in sales and continue
business as usual through July 31, running sales on all in-stock items and
fixtures. They will then continue to do business at their current location
through Aug. 21 by appointment only. Again, though nothing is official at
this time, Renee did state where she would like to be located.
"My
dream location would be where like-minded businesses would co-op a
wedding/event office complex of sorts," she said. Celebrations! will
maintain the same phone numbers and Web site addresses for doing
business.
Kirby reports the company experienced sizable growth after
moving downtown. However, he also commented on how changes and advancements
in technology, and the move will allow them to better serve their national
and local clientele.
"A great benefit too is that the savings we
will incur from moving can be passed along to our customers" Kopp
adds.
Adventures Aloft got its start in 1983 with hot air balloon
rides and inflatables. Renee said she married into it in 1988 and started
her segment the next year. In 1995, they started retailing from their
location along Route 272 in Akron. Renee said at the time they had two
children. Now they have a total of five boys ranging in age from one to
16.
In 1989, they then started balloon and event decorating, balloon
deliveries and gift baskets out of their house.
"By the time the
second child was born, we had decided it was time to move the business to a
storefront," Renee said. "In the years since then, my time has been filled
to the brim learning floral designing, wedding planning and coordinating,
tuxedo rentals and invitations. Coupling that with my bridal show,
"Lancaster's Biggest and Best," perhaps makes me one of the most
experienced and well-rounded event/wedding planners in the region. We have
created and accumulated many theme props and rental items over the years,
while gaining almost 40 years of decorating experience between Kirby and
myself for every type of party, event, and soiree imaginable. Focusing on
all these segments that provide us with the most fulfillment and
opportunity, while enjoying our active family, seems to be just what we
should be doing at this moment."
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