Pier 1 Imports.

• Author: Gallion, Mari
• Position: INSIDE ALASKA BUSINESS

Pier 1 Imports has opened its northernmost store in Fairbanks. World Eskimo-Indian Olympics two-foot high kick champion for 2012 and Fairbanks native Erica Meckel officially christened the store with a ribbon-cutting ceremony unlike any other, breaking the ribbon with a demonstration of the traditional Native Alaskan high kick.

The total retail square footage of the store is 11,740 square feet. Aside from the store manager, who has come from one of the retail chain's successful stores on the East Coast, all employees are...