One local retailer is celebrating a milestone this month - 20 years in business.
On May 1, 1995, Bill and Tracey McKnight opened the doors of South Coast Casuals in Ladner Village.
After spending many years on the road selling clothing wholesale, Bill McKnight says the couple decided to open the store because he wanted to be home more.
They signed the lease on March 15 and just six weeks later opened the doors of South Coast Casuals to customers.
Some things have changed a lot over the years. For the first nine years the store did not have a computer system and the price tags on every article of clothing had to be hand written, says daughter Jill McKnight, who grew up working in the store and joined the family business full-time after graduating from the University of Victoria with a degree in entrepreneurial business.
Over the years the store has expanded and phased out its menswear section, focusing solely on women's fashion for the last five years.
What hasn't changed is the family's commitment to quality clothing lines and excellent customer service.
The store has become a destination for both locals and visitors. Customers regularly come from all over the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island and the family even mails jeans to a woman in the Queen Charlotte Islands. Out-of-province visitors often make a trip to the store a part of their vacation. The shop also has many loyal local shoppers and Tracey McKnight says recently they had three generations of one family all shopping together.
"For a lot of our customers, there are certainly people we recognize from day one," says Jill McKnight.
The McKnights have also been heavily involved in the community over the years - Bill and Tracey joined the Ladner Business Association that first year in business and have been involved in many initiatives and events, including the annual Breakfast with Santa, Ladner Village Quilt Walk and Car Show, and Pumpkin Fest.
The McKnights help organize the annual Ladner Village Market and South Coast Casuals has done many charity events over the years, including raising $100,000 for breast cancer, more than $20,000 for the Delta Hospital Foundation and collecting more than 8,000 items for Dress for Success.
The family also instigated the Ladner Dig It Campaign, which got all the retailers on 48th Avenue united in advertising campaigns during the reconstruction and beautification of the street.
To celebrate 20 years in business, South Coast Casuals started 20 days of celebration on April 22 with a different promotion every day.
The store is also holding daily door prizes draws.
South Coast Casuals is located at 5028-48th Ave.
