Ingersoll welcomes new downtown shop

Owner of Ingersoll's recently launched Stilettos & Sawdust, Kelsey Kuchma. (Kyrah Smith photo)

Kyrah Smith, Echo Correspondent

On May 8, the town of Ingersoll gave a very warm welcome to its newest downtown addition, Stilettos & Sawdust.

Located at 109 Thames St. S, the store is a boutique featuring gorgeous home décor, gifts, and handcrafted items. The shop houses products from 30 local vendors, as well as owner Kelsey Kuchma’s own engraved goods.

When asked how launch day went, Kuchma said the response was overwhelming. “It’s been great. Like, exceeded expectations,” she shared. “I knew coming into it that the community here would be huge, but even other businesses popped in to take a look.”

The Ingersoll shop is a sister location to Kuchma’s Stratford storefront, which has been operating for six years. Originally from Woodstock, Kuchma explained that while she loves Stratford, she was looking for a second location that felt a little more personal and community focused.

“Stratford is lovely and tourist-wise, it’s great. But it definitely doesn’t have the community that we have here,” she said.

Although Stilettos & Sawdust has already held its soft launch, the boutique has yet to host an official grand opening. “I’m thinking probably sometime in June,” Kuchma said.

The boutique will also be participating in Ingersoll Shopping Nights on May 21 and June 18, where downtown businesses stay open later for the community to shop and explore.

For more information, you can visit the store’s website at www.stilettosandsawdust.ca.