Opening up a brand new business is daunting at the best of times, doubly so in the middle of a global pandemic. Yet entrepreneurs have been opening new businesses in the downtown area in Estevan, and early signs have been quite promising. 

This is all good news for the Estevan Chamber of Commerce, who are always happy to see the business community expand. Under the current climate, however, the opening of new businesses takes on a special significance. 

"Estevan has been going through kind of a shift over the last several years," said Chamber Executive Director Jackie Wall. "I think when it comes to our local economy, there seems to be a little bit of stability happening. Oil and gas is growing stronger and the outlook is looking good for that."

One of the new businesses to open up was Kon Artisan Ice Cream. Over the weekend, lineups for the new business were out the door and well down the sidewalk on 4th Street, and the opening of a new restaurant is always a good sign economically. 

"When you have a restauranter who is diversifying and opening a second location, that is also good news," said Wall. "We always have had a very strong restaurant industry here, but it really is getting more diverse."

Another promising aspect of these new businesses is their location. Both Kon and Kessel Run Games have opened on 4th Street, which means both businesses are opening in the heart of one of the city's busiest business districts. 

"The strength of a community still is very much related to what is happening in the downtown core," said Wall. "There was a huge exodus quite a few years ago when everyone was opening up the mall and the strip (malls).... there is something about a downtown core. It tends to have more character, more history within a community."

Wall added it's great to see new businesses open up anywhere in town, but opening in a place where their had been vacant storefronts is a welcome sight. She also said the diversity of the new businesses was encouraging, as was the recreational nature of each of the businesses.