KITCHENER — Downtown Kitchener’s only department store is undergoing a remake of sorts.

Budds is shutting down its children’s clothing department in the basement and replacing it with men’s and women’s higher-end designer clothing sold at discount prices.

The new section will sell only “top name-brand merchandise,” in-season at 40 to 80 per cent off the original retail price, co-owner Howie Budd said today.

To be called the Red Bag Centre, it will sell brands such as Haggar, Point Zero, Tan Jay, Alia, Bill Blass, McGregor, Stanfields and J. Braxx.

The new format, which debuts Monday, is also being introduced at Budds’ stores in Guelph and Simcoe.

Business has been stronger in men’s and women’s clothing and the company’s buyer of children’s wear is retiring, said Howie’s brother Stan Budd, also a co-owner of the three-store chain.

“We had to make a decision. We’re changing with the times,” he said.

They’ve been pondering the move for some time,” Stan said. “For a couple of seasons, we’ve tested the waters. The results have been very satisfactory.”

Budds will continue to sell its regular lines of boy’s, men’s and women’s clothing and accessories on the main floor and bed and bath merchandise on the second floor. Girl’s apparel is also being phased out.

Founded by Howie and Stan’s father Nat and three uncles, the 15,000-square-foot store has been a fixture at 165 King St. W. near Kitchener City Hall for 84 years. It still features pneumatic suction tubes that send cash transactions to the upstairs office.

The Guelph and Simcoe stores are more than 75 years old.

Howie said the makeover “is a vote of confidence in downtown Kitchener.” More people are walking the streets in the core and more young people are coming into the store, he said.

“We’ve added new lines to accommodate the new customers we see working and living downtown.”

With more than 40 years in the business, the two veteran haberdashers have no plans to retire anytime soon. They have a succession plan in place and have brought Howie’s son, Jeff, into the business.

“We still love our work. We still feel young and interested,” Howie said.

chowitt@therecord.com