Baby store owner takes charge as queen of Queenstown

Kristi Cistaro, owner of Stork and Bundle at 715 Queen St. E., is the new chair of Sault Ste. Marie Downtown Association.

Cistaro was acclaimed at a meeting last night at Johnny's Chophouse & Bar, 180 Bay St.

Before launching her downtown baby and children’s boutique eight years ago, she operated Press Box Entertainment Ltd., a local sports card and collectibles shop.

Cistaro has also been communications lead at the Northern Ontario e-Health Office and marketing manager for Citigroup Inc.'s Canadian commercial finance division.

She graduated from Western University with a BSc in biology in 1999.

Cistaro has deep roots in downtown.

She started working at a car dealership founded by her great-grandfather in Heritage Square, the same block where Stork and Bundle now stands.

She was the 2013 recipient of the Young Entrepreneur/Business of the Year award and the Customer Service Award from the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce.

At Monday's City Council meeting, the following were appointed to the Downtown Association's board of management until Nov. 14, 2022:

• Kristi Cistaro
• Elizabeth Filice
• Frank Gaccione
• Neeta Marwah
• Paul Mason
• Angela Romano
• Paul Scornaienchi

At Thursday night's meeting, the following were appointed as committee chairs:

• Events Committee - Kristi Cistaro
• Finance Committee - Frank Gaccione
• Beautification Committee - Paul Scornaienchi
• Governance Committee - Kristi Cistaro
• Communications Committee - Angela Romano
• Service Sector Committee - Paul Mason, Elizabeth Filice
• Grantwriting Committee - Kristi Cistaro, Paul Scornaienchi, Frank Gaccione

The Downtown Association consists of business people, commercial property owners and tenants along Queen St. E. from Pim to Dennis.

With support from the City of Sault Ste Marie, the group organizes, finances and introduces physical improvements and promotes downtown economic development.

The Downtown Association is a municipally designated business improvement area, self-funded through a property tax levy and self-managed by a volunteer board.