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New Westminster’s Brick & Mortar Living is closing in May

The well-known New Westminster home décor boutique Brick & Mortar Living is closing its doors after seven years in the city. Jenn Pistone and her daughters Julia Dewhurst and Emma Nash opened the store at 42 Begbie St.
Brick & Mortar
Jenn Pistone, mother and owner of Sixth Street Popup + Gallery, along with Julia Dewhurst and Emma Nash (right, owners and sisters), as well as Begbie the Boston Terrier.

The well-known New Westminster home décor boutique Brick & Mortar Living is closing its doors after seven years in the city.

Jenn Pistone and her daughters Julia Dewhurst and Emma Nash opened the store at 42 Begbie St. on May 1, 2012, selling locally made goods including jewelry, home décor, gifts, trinkets, wedding goods and art.

The owners made the announcement Wednesday in a post on social media they would be closing the store for good on May 1.

“We’re pretty convinced that we have the most loyal customers in the Lower Mainland. Closing our shop was not an easy decision to make, we want you to know that,” read the announcement.

Brick & Mortar Living has been at its current location at 42 Sixth St. for nearly three years. Before that, they were at 52 Sixth St., a location they left in October 2016, when the building’s developer, Citypoint Developments, wanted to set up a sales and presentation centre for its 33-storey, mixed-use tower proposal for 618 Carnarvon St.

Challenges finding a secure and affordable location is one of the reasons they’ve decided to close the store. In order to continue operating, the owners would need to restructure the business “in order to keep up with the rising costs of running a ‘Brick & Mortar’ shop in this beautiful and developing city.”

“We tried valiantly to find a space that would work for our unique business and unfortunately, we came up short. Although we are deeply disappointed, we leave with full hearts, heads held high and no regrets,” read the announcement.

“Our customers have been our daily drop-in friends, and this is the greatest loss we will face. Thank you for supporting us and showing us that New Westminster is a strong and vibrant community filled with really good people.”

While Brick & Mortar Living will officially close on May 1, the closure doesn’t necessarily mean the end of the business altogether.

The owners said they hope to return one day, once they’ve collected their thoughts.

“If fate should have it, we will be back,” they wrote online.