“IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE BUSINESS”
A rational decision, of course, doesn’t make it any easier. The impending loss has yet to fully sink in for Audrey, especially since the business has been a major part of her family.
“We talk about business in the car; we talk about it at the dining table. And when we’re at work, we talk about it again … We go on holiday and we think, ‘Hey, if it works here, it could work at home.’ It’s such a big part; the loss is not just about the business, but the way my family interacts,” she said.
Audrey herself grew up behind the cashier wrapping goods for customers, many of whom now visit with their teenage children. “So many people have the same experience I did, just running around the store,” she recalled.
“The experience that people have here goes far beyond the shopping. It’s the memories … It’s very emotional. I’m not sure I’ll fully get over it, to be honest.”
But she clarifies that the changing face of Holland Village, from residential demographic to resulting tenant mix, is not necessarily a negative shift as many believe.
“Sometimes when things change, you can feel the energy of rejuvenation in that area, and it’s not a bad thing. It’s just uncertain for now, and I think we’ll deal with that,” she said.
“A lot of who we are is because of this experience, like what we’re good at, where we’re going from here. So I wouldn’t say there’s any sob story here. It’s actually a very powerful decision.”
