Rebecca Staebler sports a mask as she talks about her shop Friday afternoon in Centralia.
Items at HUBBUB sit on display Friday afternoon in Centralia.
Brick sets the backdrop of displays inside HUBBUB Friday afternoon in Centralia.
Rebecca Staebler shows off her shop during a ‘Grand Re-Opening’ event Friday afternoon in Centralia.
Bags for the 15th Anniversary Sale sit on display inside HUBBUB on Friday.
HUBBUB’s reopened location is located at 505 North Tower Ave. in Centralia.
Nina Skol helps a visitor from behind a shield used to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at HUBBUB in Centralia on Friday.
Rebecca Staebler talks about new items in her shop Friday afternoon in Centralia.
HUBBUB is located at 505 North Tower Ave. in Centralia.
HUBBUB owner Rebecca Staebler’s journey to reopen her store’s original location has finally come to an end on the 15th anniversary of its opening.
“I am super excited to be in our home space and welcome our customers back and introduce our newer customers to our real home,” Staebler said.
At about 1 a.m. on May 5, 2017 a driver under the influence crashed through the colorful storefront, causing considerable damage to the 100-year-old building. The back of the building, where Staebler lives was unharmed.
The shop, located at 505 Tower Ave. officially reopened on Friday, Nov. 13. However, Staebler’s shop hasn’t remained closed for the three-plus years that the original location was under construction — she opened up HUBBUB at a smaller location just down the street.
HUBBUB’s motto “Art for Everyday” is reflected in the unique handmade clothing, jewelry, accessories and home and garden decor that are for sale in the shop as well as in the colorful sculpture garden next to the shop.
As Staebler moved her shop down the street, the building she has owned since 2004 remained boarded up and repairs were drawn out due to negotiations with Staebler’s insurance company and various contractors. The COVID-19 pandemic also caused about a six-week construction delay.
“It’s definitely been a struggle with the insurance coverage and I’ve had ups and downs with contractors. I chose to keep going and reopen when I could because I wanted my business to be viable and I want to support my customers who I felt kind of relied on me. I was the place to come for the gift that they wanted and I didn’t want to risk losing that if I shut down for the period of time that it would take to rebuild,” Staebler said.
She said that remaining open at the other location had its downsides as she was stretched thin while running the shop and focusing on the rebuilding process.
Staebler used the repairs as a time to revamp her boutique by adding a new doorway that leads to the sculpture garden, fresh paint, new shelves and displays, a dressing room and new carpeting. She said that the 505 Tower Avenue location really captures her style and love of color.
Gov. Jay Inslee announced last week that restrictions will be placed on the business including retail shops being reduced to 25 percent capacity. Staebler said that living in a small town is an advantage, in this case, as the number of people in her shop at one time is usually small.
“For a small business, probably the biggest challenge is that people may just choose to stay home and not go out, which I totally understand. Being safe and getting back to full capacity as quickly as we can is the highest priority,” Staebler said.
HUBBUB can ship items and will make private shopping appointments for those who do not feel comfortable being around others.
“Going into the holidays, I want to make it as easy and safe as possible for people to still support their local small businesses,” she said.
The 15th-anniversary event, kicked off this past Friday, has been extended to a week-long store-wide sale that will go through Nov. 20 with new inventory coming in each day, Staebler said.
“Thank you to everyone for supporting me and being patient,” she said. “I’m really thrilled to have people come in and to be back home.”
By Celene Fitzgerald
cfitzgerald@chronline.com
