Two locally owned gift stores opened recently in a new location in downtown Wilmington.

Cindy Schram, owner of Coastal Vibe and The Farmer's Cottage, leased the bottom floor of 20 S. Front St. to consolidate the businesses. The stores were previously located in the Old Wilmington City Market, 119 S. Water St.

"I started out in a very small space and then grew the business and kept adding space," Schram said Tuesday, referring to when she first opened Coastal Vibe four years ago in the city market. "Then when this opportunity came along, I jumped on it."

About two years ago, she leased another storefront in the city market to open The Farmer's Cottage. She has combined the two businesses into one in the Front Street space, which is filled mainly with beach-themed home decor, jewelry, greeting cards, apparel, accessories and other items.

The rustic farm-style home decor and other gifts of The Farmer's Cottage take up a smaller portion of the new Coastal Vibe, which has about 1,600 square feet of retail space.

Customer Lindsay Collins, who works downtown, stopped by the store Tuesday afternoon to buy a wedding gift. She first discovered Coastal Vibe in the city market in December, she said. Now, she's become a regular at the Front Street location.

"My whole house is coastal," Collins said as she completed her purchase. "I just moved into a new home and I'm on a decorating kick ... It's just hard to pass by without coming in."

Schram, who has lived in Wilmington for more than 20 years, said she's worked in retail off and on since she was 16 and was an assistant manager at stores in Wilmington before opening her own business in the city market. 

J. Todd Turner, broker in charge of River Town Realty Group, represented the owner of the Front Street space in Schram's lease transaction, Schram said.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for Coastal Vibe will be held at 4:30 p.m. Friday, featuring Wilmington mayor Bill Saffo and other dignitaries, according to a news release from Wilmington Downtown Inc.

Schram said Tuesday that the ribbon-cutting kicks off her weekend grand opening.