Fashion Kraze moving into vacant Hacketts store in Canton

CANTON — Fashion Kraze will relocate to the vacant Hacketts store in University Plaza, with plans to open by Thanksgiving.

The name-brand clothing store has been operating out of the former Aubuchon Hardware store, 21 Miner St., since January 2008.

The move will begin next week, according to Richard A. Greenspan, president of Masters Inc., the Long Island parent company of Fashion Kraze.

"We love Canton. It's a great town. We have been in Canton since 2003, and we want to stay," Mr. Greenspan said. "We feel this location will be much better."

The store will be using 10,000 to 15,000 square feet of the 40,000-square-foot building. Mr. Greenspan said plaza owner Centro Properties Group is working to attract a regional or national chain store to occupy the remaining space.

Fashion Kraze stores are located in Gouverneur, Tupper Lake, Cicero and Oswego. A store in Ogdensburg is expected to close.

Mr. Greenspan said the Canton store has six full- and part-time employees, but that number could double at the new location.

"We're expecting more volume," he said.

Mr. Greenspan described the store's product line as "family oriented," offering clothing and accessories for men, women and children.

Fashion Kraze handled the clothing end for WiseBuys, which opened in the former Ames Department Store building in 2003. When the WiseBuys/Hacketts merger took place, its agreement with Fashion Kraze was terminated.

Mr. Greenspan applauded the efforts of town and village officials, especially Canton Director of Economic Development Linda M. McQuinn and Code Enforcement Officer Russell B. Lawrence IV.

"Everyone has been so nice and cooperative. That makes it a pleasure to do business," he said.