9 businesses give downtown Summerside boost

There's been an unexpected boom in the number of new businesses opening in the downtown of P.E.I.'s second city.

Nine businesses have opened in Summerside's downtown in the last month, some of on the streets and some in the Waterfront Mall.

Miranda MacDonald just opened the dog grooming shop Puppy Love, and she said business is off to a good start.

"Everybody needs their dog cleaned up for Christmas because they've got to be in the family photos," she said.

And MacDonald expects her first business venture will continue to go well.

"People are saying that the location's really good, because they're going to the bank, they're running down to the store, the malls, all the little shops," she said.

"I think it'll be really good when the summer comes, with all the other businesses that open in the summer."

Other recent openings include an antique store, a bookstore and a fitness studio. One of the attractions is relatively low rent.

"Hopefully the businesses do well, and economically, it's going to be a great spin-off for the city," said Ron Casey, executive director of Downtown Summerside Inc.

During the mini-boom four businesses left the downtown, either for Charlottetown, the malls uptown, or closing down completely. But Casey said there has been a net gain in the number of people working downtown.

And the building is not over yet. The downtown will welcome a new pharmacy in January.