New business owners, Celina Record

New owners take over downtown Celina businesses as another shutters Lisa Ferguson, lferguson@starlocalmedia.com Apr 14, 2016 A pair of businesses in downtown Celina changed hands recently, while another shut its doors. AnnieJack Design & General Store has taken the place of the former Sunny Paige apparel and home décor boutique at 222 W. Walnut St., in the historic Nelson Hotel building. The store was purchased in March by Rachel Baty, president of the Celina Ladies & Friends organization and the Celina Main Street Advisory Board. “I’ve always loved this building,” she said of the two-story brick structure that housed a grocery store in the early 1900s before spending decades as a hotel. Baty, who has a background in interior design, said she will continue to carry some of the clothing and accessory lines that were featured at Sunny Paige but has already begun stocking more home-good products such as candles, handmade soaps and locally produced jams, jellies and olive oils. “The first half of the store is all going to be home-and-market-type items, and then the back half will be jewelry and accessories and the clothing line,” Baty explained. She said she plans to host monthly events at the store, beginning in May with a cooking demonstration featuring Olive Oil de Fino, a line of products produced in Sherman that she recently began selling. She also cleared overgrown foliage from a courtyard outside the building which she hopes to utilize in the future as part of AnnieJack Design & General Store. Baty said she is happy to be a merchant on the square. “There’s lots of stuff happening here. With all of the (city-sponsored) events we have here now, everybody loves it that comes down here and I just want to be a part of it.” Also in March, Willow House Boutique got a new owner. Former Colleyville resident Kerrie Turner purchased the store, at 238 W. Pecan Street, after her family relocated to Celina. “I’ve always been a very creative-minded person and (was) looking for an outlet for that,” she said. While she has not previously owned a retail store, “It’s kind of been a dream for a while.” Turner said it will likely remain business as usual at Willow House Boutique, which brims with women’s apparel and jewelry. She plans to also add more home décor and giftware items to those already sold at the store which include soaps, candles and stationary. Turner said she’ll also continue to host the occasional ladies shopping night events that were popular at the store under its previous proprietor. “I’m very excited” about owning a store downtown, Turner said. “I love the small-town feel, and I love how everyone knows everyone, and I’m excited about the growth” of the city. Meanwhile a search is underway to find new tenants for the space at 224 W. Pecan Street, which was formerly occupied by Sweet P’s Bakery & Coffee Shop. The restaurant closed in February after being in business for about a year and a half, according to Buddy Minnett, an agent with Herrin Real Estate in Celina which represents the owner of the building as well as several others in the square. Since then, Minnett said, the company has met with a handful of candidates about possibly opening a new restaurant in the former Sweet P’s space, although it is in no rush to make a decision. “We don’t just rent to get a space rented,” he said. “We try to get folks in there that are complementary and will help build the whole downtown. … We want things that will fit in there.” Minnett said his company also represents the owner of a building that formerly housed Celina Drug at 303 W. Pecan Street. Interior demolition recently began on that building, which he said could eventually be renovated into an old-fashioned-styled soda fountain. “We want the square to be a destination place. It’s one of the reasons we’re so particular about who goes into our buildings,” Minnett said. “Really, you need restaurants and retail. It’s what brings people down there and gets [other businesses] to stay open past 5 o’clock.” Follow the Celina Record on Twitter @celinarecord.