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Star Gift owner happy to bring his selection to Estevan each year

Each year since 1988, Adel Jomha has been coming to the Estevan Shoppers Mall prior to Christmas with his business Star Gift, which sells leather goods and other accessories.
Star Gift store
Adel Jomha is the owner of the Star Gift store in the Estevan Shoppers Mall. He comes back to Estevan every year at Christmas time to sell his goods.

Each year since 1988, Adel Jomha has been coming to the Estevan Shoppers Mall prior to Christmas with his business Star Gift, which sells leather goods and other accessories.

He’ll be in Estevan for a few months before Christmas and set up shop to market his products, many of which can’t be found elsewhere in the Energy City. It’s clearly been a good arrangement for him, and it’s also been good for the community.

“This is a special community here,” said Jomha. I got used to it and people got used to me. I have some merchandise that people like. They keep coming back and I keep coming back,” he said in an interview with Lifestyles.

Some years are good and other years aren’t so good, just like any other small business. So far this year it has been quiet, but he’s confident business will pick up as Christmas approaches.

“Usually from the 15th of November on, it gets really strong. Hopefully this year it will be the same.”

Jomha decided to bring his business to Estevan more than 30 years ago after being in the city during the fair. He and his family found Estevan to be a good community, and they were impressed with the mall.

“We went to the office, and we decided let’s do a store here,” said Jomha. “The rent was very, very reasonable.”

It worked out, and Jomha loves the friendly atmosphere in the city.

“This is what keeps me coming back,” he said.

Star Gift opened this year on Sept. 15, and Jomha expects they will remain open until Dec. 29.   

Jomba has a variety of merchandise in stock, including winter fashion boots, a couple different types of mukluks, such as Manitobah Mukluks and Laurentian Chief Mukluks, to go with moccasins and blankets.

They also have a good selection of t-shirts and hoodies, and belts, gloves, and purses and handbags.

“My blankets are very popular, and of course now, these days, the mukluks and the moccasins are very popular,” he said.

There aren’t a lot of places in Estevan that sell products like mukluks, either.

“I have the merchandise here,” said Jomha. “People don’t have to go online. They come and try them and see them and feel them, and they know their sizes and they buy them, which is nice.”

His prices are usually lower than what can be found online, to keep people here and buying local.

Jomha finds that people are usually excited for him to open his store and to be back in town.

“It’s nice to have that feeling and the feedback from the public,” he said.

Star Gift has a store in Edmonton that is open throughout the year, and Estevan is the only other community to have a location. At one time he had a year-round store in Estevan, but spring and summer were quiet, and they have the operation in Edmonton, so they decided to come to Estevan for a few weeks before Christmas.

Now they’ve extended their time here to September.

It’s not easy embarking on the long drive from Edmonton to Estevan, and leaving his family, kids and house, but he loves it in Estevan, and he hopes to see lots of familiar faces and new customers.

“I can’t see myself not coming back to Estevan every year. It doesn’t matter if we make money or lose money, it’s in my blood,” he said.