Ten years after opening in Red Deer, Valhalla Pure Outfitters is poised to double the size of its operations.
The business at 2319 Taylor Dr. is moving into adjacent premises previously occupied by XS Cargo. XS Cargo closed its Red Deer store late last month.
Janet Pullan, who owns Valhalla Pure with her husband Mark Morrison, said they plan to relocate by mid-May.
“We’re hoping just for a Sunday closure, and reopen here on a Monday.”
The new premises, which are in the same building, consist of 7,500 square feet.
“The space we have now is a single bay, and this is a double,” said Pullan.
That extra room will allow them to display boats and canoes year-round, she said, instead of having to store most of the retailer’s watercraft during the winter so that products like skis can come out. Pullan also thinks the additional area will make products more visible to customers.
“Right now, we’re so crowded I think we have things our customers don’t even realize are there.”
Expansion of Valhalla Pure’s range of products is also likely. For instance, Pullan expects to bring in more accessories for family camping, such as bigger tents, stoves and coolers.
The couple have been pondering a move for about four years, but couldn’t find space on the city’s south side that was suitable for their needs.
“This was just ideal when this came together,” said Pullan, who values their location along busy Taylor Drive.
After Valhalla Pure moves, Pullan and Morrison might look at ways to enhance the visibility of their store — such as improved signage.
“There’s a couple of things that we’re looking at and we’ll see if we can put those together for fall.”
The business has changed since it opened in May 2009, said Pullan. It didn’t have watercraft or even skis then, and focused on technical clothing for outdoor enthusiasts.
“We’ve certainly expanded our clothing offerings,” she said, adding that a broad range of casual apparel is now in stock.
They sell lots of travel-related products, she noted, such as travel packs, wheeled luggage and security products like money belts.
Pullan and Morrison, who previously worked as a film company manager and television production editor respectively, were avid hikers but retail rookies when they opened the store.
“It was a little scary, because it was the first business venture for both of us,” said Pullan.
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