Same stores, new vibes

Two Creston businesses have been taken over by new owners this year, bringing a new style to already loved Uptown shops.

In December, just a week before original owner Elizabeth Fioretto moved out of state, Brea Ramsey and Ashley Downing took the jump and decided to buy The Latest Edition Bookstore on Maple Street.

Though both are busy ladies with full-time jobs and families, they knew losing the bookstore would be hard on the community.

“We decided a week before she moved to go ahead and buy it just to keep it in our community,” Ramsey said. “We just felt it was imperative to have in our community and have another shop downtown and bring people back shopping to local shops.”

The pair held their grand re-opening Saturday, Jan. 31 with a food truck and raffle, and have been running with the momentum of the event ever since.

“We’ve had such great support and people are giving us ideas about different events. Our opening day was so exciting, to see the store packed and people were hugging each other and sitting around talking for an hour because they hadn’t seen each other,” Ramsey said. “That’s truly what we wanted to accomplish is just a place where people can go and interact and talk and families feel comfortable bringing kids. Our goal is to have an event every single month to bring the community together in some shape, way or form.”

A few streets down, Crystals and Wood had their own grand re-opening a few weeks later on Tuesday, March 10. This crystal store on Pine Street was originally owned by Laura Beerbower, but changed over to Jennifer Caplinger at the beginning of this month.

“Something I always wanted to do is have a shop like this, but I never really had the money to do it,” Caplinger said. “I just walked in and we’re talking about, I always want to do this and [Beerbower]’s like, ‘Oh, do you want it?’ Because she’s just talking about selling it at that moment.”

The shop will continue to sell its fair share of “witchy” materials, including crystals, but is adding other goods, such as framed butterflies and larger statues.

“We’ve got incense, bracelets, fine jewelry, crystals, statues, just lots of different things. It’ll be adding more slowly,” Caplinger said. “Crystals aren’t just rocks. They do have energy and they do help with certain thing. But some people just like them because they’re pretty and shiny and that’s fine too.”

Crystals and Wood is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. The Latest Edition Bookstore is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday.