High Street Staple Moves To Caribou Street West

After 19.5 years High Street West is in for a bit of a shake up as Todd Shymanski and his business E-Z-Tech Computers Inc have moved to #4 1335 Caribou Street West.

A move which sees the company up and running effective today - Monday morning.

Asked about how much of the shock the move has generated he said it was large.

“It’s a huge shock. In some ways it’s refreshing because we get a different look. But in other ways I feel like I lost a family member.”

“That’s home for me I spent my hours there than I did anywhere else. So it will be an interesting first few months getting set up and getting everybody over here,” Shymanski said.

He said the company can be described as a destination business - where the majority of clientele have contracts (and the like) - and the majority of business is not walk ins.

The sign is up in front of the new location

Despite being a destination business Shymanski said walk ins are also welcomed.

One of the major approaches to continuity is keeping the present business numbers and transferring them to the new location.

“That way when they phone we can give them our new location.”

Caribou Street is a plus.

“Fortunately we’re on a main street and easy access here. Probably easier access than High Street to be honest with you. You’ve got access from two different directions here,” Shymanski said.

“We are quite pleased with the new location,” he said.

“The parking is free here, the access is great and I think we are going to do well here.”

Another positive of the move is that many of the company’s gaming, and other system, customers live in a nearby neighborhood which may help to bring in existing and new customers.

Asked about the High Street building Shymanski called the business in the strip mall as unique with its paint store, pet store and computer store.

“There’s likely not another building in Moose Jaw that has been open for 20 years with the same three businesses,” Shymanski said.

“We sort of fed off of each other. If someone is at the paint store and want to come over to have a look they come over. If they are at my place and wanted to go next door to pick up their dog food they would. We sort of tied into each other.”

The three separate businesses was the dream child of Roy Trottier - the original building owner - as a means for all businesses to drive spin off business amongst the three retail outlets.

For Shymanski over the years people have had friends who want to come and see what’s going on and often buy a computer.

“If you look at my clientele a lot of them are returning customers,” he said.

In the subdivisions around the store many of E-Z-Tech Computers’ home clients live there.

The slightly smaller Caribiu Street location makes the new location more affordable and “it’s just going to be more of a positive going forward,” Shymanski said.

“We just have take the short term pain to get to the long term gain.”

Shymanski said over the last month telling clients about the move “they didn’t think it was going to be a problem coming over here.”

Additionally in observations this past Saturday he said traffic flows was higher than what was on High Street, he said.

“I’m excited to see during the week what the traffic pattern is going to be like…this is a major thorough way.”

“We’re hoping we are going to be seeing our regular clients. We don’t see that as a problem. We’re hoping to pick up some new clients that are going to realize there’s a new store open in the area,” Shymanski said.