Abra-Kid-Abra magically appeared across the road earlier this month.
The kids’ store moved across Oak Bay Avenue, opening Nov. 2 in its new location, says owner Stephanie MacDonald.
“It’s nice being on the street and also making use of the beautiful building,” she said. “We’ve had a lot more people coming in off the road. I expect it to take a while for people to realize we’ve moved.”
The building at 2005 Oak Bay Ave., near the intersection with Foul Bay Road, was made famous as the newspaper office for the television series Gracepoint in 2014.
“It’s surprising how many people know it that way,” MacDonald said. Some customers go even farther into memory, calling it the Guardian building. The sign for the former pharmacy that resided there is still up, but is slated to be replaced with the Abra-Kid-Abra brand.
After 32 years in business, 20-plus of them at the location across the Ave, the staff get third-generation toddlers coming in and the occasional grandparent who shopped there when they had young children.
“We have three or four generations that come back. It really is like a family,” MacDonald said.
The store offers new and consigned clothing, toys and furniture as well as baby equipment rentals.
“It’s a really handy service,” MacDonald said. “We get grannies who come in and book six to nine months before Christmas, just to make sure they have a crib for the baby. It’s nice to see their excitement.”