The Magic of a Stationary Store

Downtown Blairmore is home to Copy Magic, a store with a long list of offerings with something for everyone. What started as a simple office supply store 28 years ago, has grown into the jack-of-all-trades store it is today. It features exclusive giftware, furniture, ladies' fashion and an ATB Financial Agency.

The owners, Ken and Linda Petrone, have been married for 50 years and were both born in the Crowsnest Pass. Ken was born in Bellevue and Linda was born in Coleman.

Ken started off in the trucking business, hauling coal with his father. When they were just married the couple bought a motorcycle shop in Frank.

"Linda ran the motorcycle shop while I was trucking all day," said Ken," Then I'd come home at night and service snowmobiles and motorcycles, depending on the time of the year."

Linda said she was proud of running the store, even though she had no idea how to ride a bike. Despite the lack of experience, she won a trip to Japan the first year she was in business due to market penetration.

The mine Ken was trucking for shut down in 1980 and Ken ended up at Byron Creek Collieries as the maintenance planner.

"I worked there until 1987 when I got a job as the purchasing manager, materials manager for this hospital," said Ken.

He worked there for five years until middle management in the hospital was laid off due to government cutbacks. After a couple years of selling life insurance while Linda was selling Xerox, they decided to make a change.

"We had the opportunity to buy a stationary store out here and it was where Cherry on Top is," said Ken," we bought it out and then about a year or two later we bought this building and moved it over here [because] it was too small and at that point we didn't need this whole building for office supplies, so we started branching out into what you see today in here."

Now they have been in business for 28 years and a part of their branching out includes a furniture store on the corner of the block and a space upstairs, where they mainly sell Ashley Furniture. There is also a Christmas store in the building after a chance encounter.

"I absolutely love Christmas. Every year I would have a few Christmas things and I would put it in a corner in store but then in January I had to take it all down," said Linda.

The space beside their store became available and she was in there, opening boxes, when people wandered in and asked to buy a Christmas ornament.

"I said 'you bet'so I just started plunking stuff in the Christmas store and it just grew, it's been open for about five or six years... people that are traveling through buy Christmas ornaments all year long." said Linda.

She talked about how important it was that people shopped locally during the pandemic, something she hopes continues. They also highlighted one of their more iconic items, an Afghan blanket that they claim is perfect for travelers through the area.

"We have a unique Afghan, and it was designed by Ken and I. We went out to all these pictures throughout the Crowsnest Pass. It's representing all the towns; Hillcrest, Bellevue, Frank, Blairmore and Coleman," said Linda They designed this blanket over 20 years ago, and say people buy it because it represents the area and is easy to pack in a suitcase.

Linda said sharing their story for the Crowsnest Homecoming is important because so many of their friends have left the Crowsnest Pass and are now coming home to retire. To everyone coming back for the Homecoming, Linda added, "What we want to say is, welcome home."

You can go to copymagic.ca or visit Copy Magic in downtown Blairmore for a variety of your office and home needs.