British Banger Company leaves Elizabeth Street storefront, keeps wholesale and staff

The British Banger Company is closing its Elizabeth Street storefront in downtown Okotoks on Oct. 31 after failing to reach a lease agreement with a new building owner. Owners Tracey and Tim Worsley, who had run the shop for seven years, said they had not been looking for a change. "We've been there for seven years, so it's a shame," Tracey said.

The wholesale side of the business continues from its manufacturing and distribution warehouse in Aldersyde. Customers can pick up pre-ordered orders from the Aldersyde hub, and the company offers regular deliveries as it prepares for a busy Christmas season. Some products will be sold at other stores in Okotoks and Calgary, and the company plans to keep all of its staff.

Tim said lease costs are climbing in Okotoks. "What you're finding now in Okotoks is that a lot of the new landlords are going off what tenants are paying in Calgary," he said. The couple also described property covenants in strip malls and commercial areas that bar a competitor of an existing business from operating in the same location. As a butcher shop, bakery and tea shop, the company says it is treated as a competitor of businesses ranging from Safeway to Starbucks. "Once you find that the mall's got a covenant, you've no chance of getting a foot in the door," Tim said. Some major retailers have begun easing such restrictions, he said, but they remain frequent.

The Worsleys will wait until the new year to decide their next step. A bigger store would be welcome, Tracey said, "if a store does come up, we'll look at it, and it's got to be the right one in the right place." Tracey added, "Come the end of January, we're ready for the next phase.