The Hallway Gallery and the Room 68 furniture store closed down on Dec. 31. An expansion of the neighboring Ferris Wheels Bike Shop, as well as a marketing firm, are taking over their South Street storefronts.
Brent Refsland ran the Hallway at 66a South for six years, and with partner Eric Portnoy, operated Room 68 at 68 South for four years. The furniture store continues to operate its other location in Provincetown.
“Closing my South Street businesses in JP was a bittersweet decision,” Refsland said. “I’m grateful to have met so many wonderful people over the years. Many thanks to the community and customers who expressed such enthusiasm while visiting the store or attending events and art openings at the gallery.”
Portnoy told the Gazette that the 12,000-square-foot Provincetown showroom was “very successful” in its first season, making the JP location unsustainable.
“We’re putting all resources [in Provincetown] and online,” he said. The company’s website is room68online.com.
Meanwhile, Ferris Wheels is already planning its expansion into the newly-vacant 68 South space.
Ferris Wheels Manager Marcus Soucy told the Gazette last week that the bicycle shop is planning to “declutter a bit” and separate its maintenance space from its new bike sales space, which will be relocated to 68 South.
The original move date has had to be moved because of the winter weather, Soucy said. Ferris Wheels is currently aiming for a spring to early summer move date.
The 66a South space, meanwhile, already has a new tenant, landlord Karen McCormack told the Gazette.
Online advertising and marketing strategist Michelle McCormack, who does business as LoveTheCool, has already moved in, Karen McCormack said.