Joanna Tam, Allis employee, fits a customer into her new dress. Photo by Hailey Slovack.

Lethbridge is known for its interesting history and local small businesses. Although not all companies were destined to stick around over the years, the streets of downtown Lethbridge still carry companies, new and old, with a story behind them.

Progress Clothing

The sound of the door chime meets the sound of rickety floorboards, but the almost overwhelming scent of leather and denim is what you’ll notice first. Progress Clothing is a time capsule standing in the same Lethbridge street since 1932. One of Lethbridge’s oldest and most cherished retail clothing stores, they still focus on providing workwear to their loyal customers. Grace Ferguson says her favourite part of the business is the rich history of the store and its shoppers.

“We get a bunch of older customers in that say it smells the exact same, just a more modern-day version of the old store,” explains Ferguson.

Progress Clothing has Jewish roots, first owned by Morris Wex and Max Hoffman but was operated by Cyril Serkin from 1955 onward. The business was family-run for over 60 years, until the family retired and sold the business in 2023. Another fun fact, the business was the first in Lethbridge to install security cameras to deter shoplifting, truly showing its adaptation through time!

Thelma and Thistle

A light airy musk fills the small shop. A rainbow array of linens, dresses and pants line every wall, packed closely but not crowded. Thelma and Thistle is a women’s clothing boutique known for its carefully chosen collections. They focus on providing women with unique, quirky pieces that are hard to come by. The company itself is newer to Lethbridge, recently celebrating its fifth anniversary in downtown streets. However, Thelma and Thistle began in Okotoks just over 10 years ago.

“We knew we could do something really cool as far as what brands we wanted to carry and we knew the vibe of our store wasn’t already represented by someone here,” explains Primrose.

Primrose says the company tries to keep as much of their business and products Canadian, while also carrying many European and Australian brands. Each piece of store clothing is handpicked with intent and brought back from around the world. Quite the history for a young company.

The Salty Clothing Co.

A groovy modern feel when the white walls meet pink neon lights, The Salty Clothing Co. is an energetic women’s boutique that began in 2023 with owner and store operator Nicole Fiedler. She ensures the company offers a personal touch, connecting with each customer that walks through the door. She makes a point to try every article of clothing she brings in, giving her customers honest reviews. Fiedler felt from a young age she was called to fashion and decided to follow her dreams in opening her own company. She aims to provide the safe space for women to express themselves through her clothing and store.

“We need clothes that make us feel comfortable, that make us feel good. I believe I carry those,” says Fiedler. “I want ladies to feel confident when they come out of that change room and that they can be themselves.”

The Salty Clothing Co. is a spunky downtown shop not only intended to help ladies find their next pair of jeans, but to help them find connection.  

Allis

When you step off downtown Lethbridge streets and into Allis, the smell of cinnamon and freshly brewed coffee fills the antique wooden floors and the shops’ original brick walls. The warm tungsten light and rows of soft, earth-toned fabrics give an inviting atmosphere to this local shop, located in conjunction to Bread Milk and Honey, a local café. Allis is a sister store of another Lethbridge small business, Silla, which if you haven’t caught on, is the name spelt backwards. Silla Designs, the original store, has been around since 2008, starting as a single table at the local farmer’s market. Opening in 2021, The Allis boutique was designed to focus solely on women’s fashion as the original store began to grow. Allis sells fashion from dresses to jewelry. Joanna Tam, store employee, found the uniqueness of the store and its designs called to her.

“One day I walked by and I just thought ‘Oh my gosh Lethbridge! Finally, we have something different.’ I just walked by the window, I didn’t even have to walk into the store,” explains Tam. 

Both stores were started under founder, Young Sil Kong, quickly growing business in the heart of downtown Lethbridge.

Poppin Tags

Not all boutiques were designed to be fancy. If you’re looking for a fun, young and energetic store that sells quality clothing in your budget, Poppin Tags is the place to go. As a locally owned secondhand store, Poppin Tags buys clothing from its customers and resells it to the Lethbridge community at more affordable prices, offering a unique business model compared to most thrift stores. The store was a COVID passion project started by Billy Martin, store owner. He found himself with extra free time while taking online classes during his studies at the University of Lethbridge, leading him to an idea he couldn’t shake. He began by purchasing clothing, setting it up in his garage on weekends and doing weekly garage sales.

“My favourite part about the business is giving clothes another life and giving affordable options to people who don’t want to spend, or can’t spend retail prices on clothes,” says Martin.

Poppin Tags was officially started in 2021, a fun and uplifting backstory that began with a simple idea.