R.P. Blandford & Son moving out

REDLANDS - R.P. Blandford & Son, which has sold Scottish clothing and instruments in downtown Redlands for 25 years, is moving to greener pastures.

Skyrocketing rent prices have driven the longtime Redlands business out of town.

Cameron Tillery, co-owner of the store, said the owner of the building at 204 Orange St. nearly doubled the rent, making it difficult to stay in business in the same location.

"You'd think with the economy being like it is, that owners would try to do what they could to keep the businesses here," Tillery said Wednesday.

Tillery said the landlord planned to continue to raise rent every three months after the rent doubled.
Blandford's is not the only downtown business to close up shop recently. The Pantry, formerly at 19 E. Citrus Ave., Suite 104, shut its doors on Dec. 23. The Pantry's owner, Esther Lee, 34, said she would continue catering and event planning but without the use of the Redlands storefront.

In December, Lee said the advent of Citrus Plaza hurt downtown businesses.

"People that have been in the area for a while are saying that since Citrus Plaza opened, they've noticed a decline in sales," Lee said in December.

Blandford's does not face much competition from Citrus Plaza - none of the stores in the plaza specialize in clothing and accessories from the British Isles.

Blandford's is still a viable business, Tillery said.

"The business will still do well after the move," he said.

Tillery said he will move the business to Rancho Cucamonga to be closer to customer bases in Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura counties.

Tillery, 47, and his wife, Diana, 40, also live in Rancho Cucamonga.

Cameron and Diana Tillery bought the shop from Richard "Paul" Blandford in January 2006 when Tillery looked to acquire a kilt for the couple's wedding.

"They opened up the store for us," Diana Tillery said. "My husband got measured for his kilt and he started talking about how he wanted to learn to play the bagpipes."

Kevin Blandford taught Cameron Tillery to play the bagpipes. Afterward, the Tillerys and the Blandford families grew close and eventually, the Tillerys took over R.P. Blandford & Son.

Diana Tillery said Paul Blandford is still involved with the business.

The shop was founded by Blandford, his late wife Madelyn and their late son Kevin.

The store rents and sells Highlandwear, from the ghillies (low-cut sport shoes with fringed laces) and kilts, hats and sporrans - the purse-like pouches that hang in front of the kilt - to bagpipes and accessories, and even contracts bagpipe players to perform at social functions from weddings to funerals.

They sell Scottish shortbread and other food items from the British Isles. They also sell bagpipe albums, some of which were produced by the store and performed at the University of Redlands. They have a full line of heraldry (coat-of-arms) accessories, and Highlandwear for men, women and children.

Cameron Tillery said Blandford's will still sponsor the Kevin R. Blandford memorial band, which usually plays in the Redlands Bowl Summer Music Festival.

"Redlands is still our home," Tillery said. "We still plan to be involved."

On Feb. 1, R.P. Blandford & Son will open a new store at 10980 Arrow Route, Suite 109, Rancho Cucamonga. For more information call (800) 686-1060 or (909) 483-1070.