DOWAGIAC — A storefront on M-51 S. in Dowagiac is currently filled with boxes, nearly every surface covered with multicolored T-shirts and other products. However, this is soon to change as a local business is planning to have the store in order and running within the week.

Longstanding Dowagiac business The Looking Glass has moved to a new location at 56044 M-51 S., Dowagiac. The business, which has been operational since 1994, offers a variety of services including graphic design, website management, bookkeeping and screen printing. The store will be hosting an open house Saturday.

“This is such a blessing,” said owner Connie Gray about the new location. “It was an opportunity that I had to take. It’s perfect.”

Previously, The Looking Glass was located downtown across from the now out-of-business Huntington Bank on Commercial Street. Gray said that when Huntington closed, she lost a lot of foot traffic to her business, which is why she felt the need to move.

“Before we would have a little bit of traffic from the post office and things, but this location has insane traffic,” she said. “When this opportunity came up, I prayed to God and everything fell into place. I’m so excited to be on the main drag.”

In addition to offering her business more foot traffic, the new M-51 South location offers nearly four times the amount of space she had previously. The extra space will allow Gray to have more equipment and more elaborate displays she said.

“The space is just amazing,” she said. “It is everything we needed.”

One new feature of the business that the space can allow for is what Gray is calling a “T-shirt jungle.” For the “T-shirt jungle” customers can come in at any time with a design to have printed on a T-shirt and either walk away with it the same day  or — for more complicated and multiple orders — come back the next day to pick up their creation.

“You can do anything and everything. Just tell me what you want and I can turn it into a design,” Gray said. “[The T-shirts] come out really nice.”

Though Gray said that she hopes the new location will allow her and her business to grow, she still hopes to serve the Dowagiac community.

“This is where I’m supposed to be right now,” she said.

Gray moved to Dowagiac from Texas with her husband many years ago, and said that she immediately fell in love with Dowagiac’s small-town feel. Because she is so dedicated to Dowagiac, Gray said that she hopes moving to a new location and growing her business will benefit the city as much as it does her.

“I love this town,” she with a smile creeping over her face. “I’ve gotten so many things I’m proud of here. So, being able to expand my business here is just a great blessing for both me and my family.”