WHAT'S IN STORE: What's shaking in Murrayville and points east

Having grown up off 232nd Street in Langley, near what’s now Neck of the Woods Winery, I never thought of myself a Murrayville resident.

Murrayville was that place down at the bottom of hospital hill, you know where you took your lawnmower to get repaired at what is now the Porter’s Bistro Coffee & Tea House, maybe pigged out at the former Uncle Willy’s restaurant (no longer at 216th Street and Fraser Highway), and attended Girl Guides meetings at the (at that time must smaller) Sharon United Church.

Anyway, in this week’s column, I want to take a look at some business happenings in my old stomping grounds of east Langley, revealing some details about movement, changes, and exciting new entrepreneurial news coming out of Murrayville and points east.

Let’s start with one of the changes on 232nd Street. This one is about the old general store (I believe it was called the Berry General Store) at Fraser Highway that has been vacated. With what looks likes some intentions to compile land along that strip of highway for some larger developments, what I once remember as a quaint big, old corner store (that I could ride my bike to in 15 minutes from my home) could soon be history.

I’d love to hear about your memories of that old building, good or bad. Drop me an email at rhooper@langleyadvance.com, if you know more history of the building or can share personal memories.

Meanwhile, a little farther west, Big Box Outlet store has taken over more real estate in its mall, creating a furniture outlet in the middle of the complex.

Also in Murrayville (but at the top of hospital hill) – there’s a new home of the Sea to Sky Motorsports that is taking shape in the former Dick’s Lumber huge building and grounds (next to Township of Langley’s works yard). The signs promise this will be the place to find your Indian Motorcycles and Polaris powersports equipment.

Also in Murrayville, just up the street, there’s two new pet stores.

Bosley’s By Pet Valu moved into the area several months ago now, and more recently there’s another pet store called Paw Street Market – where pets love to shop at Murrayville Square – located kitty corner to Bosley’s.

This new pet store is just across the parking lot from the former Shopper’s Drug Mart location, which has just recently been morphed into a new Dollarama (by the way, did you see that there’s also a new Dollarama in the works in downtown Langley City – where Fields was for a bit, near the DQ on 203rd Street).

But as is so common for me, I digress. Back to Murrayville and points east. While Dollarama has moved to the neighbourhood, another dollar store (Murrayville Dollar Plus, which had been in that very same mall, but closer to Fraser Highway) has packed up and moved out of the area.

Now, much further east, in Aldergrove, the Aldergrove Crossing (which consumed the former Husky gas bar and Burger King locations), has finally been completed. That seemed like one of the longest builds I’ve seen in a long time. Now, there’s one, lone occupant, thus far. Pizza Hut moved in…

Sadly, so far at least, that appears to be the only tenant in this 264th Street mall.

Speaking of changes in Aldergrove, Bruce Heslop and his team at Diamond Bar Equipment (the go-to-place for residential and commercial lawn and garden equipment – to buy or have repaired) has shifted from its long-time location near the Abbotsford border, into the heart of Aldergrove, in the 26600 block of Fraser Hwy.

I know there’s lots more happening out east, but I only have so much space and time each week.

• Please stay tuned to future What’s In Store columns for more about what’s new and exciting in the Langley business community, and if you wish to send me a tip or information about significant changes to your local business, just drop me an email at rhooper@langleyadvance.com.