Olde Towne won't look the same.
Longtime community staple Dit 'n Dat will soon close its doors after serving as Okotoks' general store for nearly two decades.
"We had lots of fun, it really feels like a good chapter, and in a certain way, we're excited for the next chapter as well," said owner Reinier Lanting, who opened the store in 2006, a year after moving to Canada from the Netherlands.
Dit 'n Dat, Dutch for ‘this and that,' has long been a place for Okotokians to enjoy an assortment of goods, with everything from school supplies and knick-knacks to European treats unavailable at the everyday dollar store.
"We always felt like a real community store, especially because we were always here ourselves," said Lanting, who runs the store alongside his wife Joy-Ann and daughter Nicole.
There are a multitude of reasons behind the closure, including changing consumer habits post-COVID and competition with big-box stores, but above all Lanting is grateful for the community's support over the last 19 years.
"To really feel that we were part of the community, to get that recognition, is the greatest thing for me," he said.
Dit 'n Dat is set to close at the end of May, and a store-wide clearance sale is on for the next two months.
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Oh, no my favorite store, for party supplies, souvenirs greeting cards, gift items, etc. Thank you for your fine store and personable service. You will be missed!