A local business destroyed by a downtown fire in the spring is hoping to make a comeback.
This week, the city announced it was selling property at 1235 Third Ave. to Homework Lifestyles Ltd. for $75,000.
The narrow lot sits between Dale's Wood and Gas heat and the former Homework location that burned down on May 6.
"We are dedicated to rebuilding downtown and so we're proceeding with that plan," said David Smook, who owns the gift, fashion and home decor store along with Lucy Pribas.
Their business partners Louise Fonda and Anthony Voitik manage the store locally, which opened in Pine Centre Mall barely two months after the blaze that was believed to have begun next door in the old Flipside building that Nancy O's owners were turning into a pizza restaurant.
Smook, located in Prince Rupert where the original Homework store opened its doors, said the purchase of the additional lot will allow for more elbow room and a one-storey floor plan.
"It also gives me the opportunity to expand if the business continues to grow and we can tack on a second floor at some point in the future," said Smook, adding that the second floor could also potentially be a residential space. "I'm just trying to keep my options as flexible as possible while recommitting to being downtown, because we miss being down there."
Planning is still in the very early stages, but Smook said their target is for a fall 2016 opening.
In the meantime the Homework location in Pine Centre will remain open and, ideally, there will be two Homework locations in Prince George, said Smook.
"It's going well there, we're loving being there," he said. "More people find us there, but we do miss being downtown."
