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The State of Downtown Grand Rapids Retail


GRDadof3

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I like that building but every time I see it I feel like it is missing something.  It's a bit monochromatic.  I'm not advocating anything garish, but it could use a little color or something.

I was thinking the same thing.  It's a very characterless "precious piece of history".

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi, new member here! I've been lurking for a few months and was going to register when the Keeler Building was put up for sale, but someone beat me to the punch in posting that.

Anyway, Bombadil Books, a co-op bookstore, is planning to open in the Herkimer building: http://www.grnow.com/new-book-store-in-the-works-for-south-division/

Hopefully downtown will be a better place for a bookstore now than when Schuler's gave up in 2012 (or when River Bank failed 10 years ago). Between this, Villa, and Brothers Leather, it'll be interesting to see how much retail takes off on South Division.

Edited by getemngo
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I feel as though this will work if our downtown population continues to grow. I couldn't imagine many people outside of the core coming to this bookstore when it's so easy to shoot to barnes and noble and schulers.. I hope it's successful though. Any retail on division is good news.. So much potential. Thanks for the post and welcome!

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Being in the Herkimer I just dont see this lasting long. It just isnt the area that people that want used books will frequent, especially with no other useful retail nearby. You are essentially making a special trip to a used book store and then leaving the area.

 

They do have a great vibe though. They would have been far better off on Wealthy, East Hills, or E. Fulton. Hopefully if this spot doesn't work out, they will be able to move there.

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I feel as though this will work if our downtown population continues to grow. I couldn't imagine many people outside of the core coming to this bookstore when it's so easy to shoot to barnes and noble and schulers.. I hope it's successful though. Any retail on division is good news.. So much potential. Thanks for the post and welcome!

This will be "used and rare books" so it might be a niche that would fit well on South Division. 

Hope it works out! Also with another building in the 100 block getting facelifted, and if/when Twelve Weston gets built with its ground-floor retail, S Division may be getting to a tipping point. 

 

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Perhaps I'm beating a dead horse (or going off-topic), but I bet that we'll see some big changes to the homeless shelters over the next decade. The increasing property values will encourage the charities to sell, especially as their current facilities-based model fades and the housing-first model takes hold. I imagine housing-first being a major priority for Mayor Bliss—she mentioned it at the debate focused on income inequality, and it's gaining popularity (and showing impressive results) around the country.

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This will be "used and rare books" so it might be a niche that would fit well on South Division. 

Hope it works out! Also with another building in the 100 block getting facelifted, and if/when Twelve Weston gets built with its ground-floor retail, S Division may be getting to a tipping point. 

 

Most "Used and Rare" book stores are more often making 85% of all sales online these days.  A store front in that area will not make money in store sales but would have to function mainly as a front office for the web sales to make it more than a few months.  If vertigo records has had some hard times, there is no way a book store will do well. Sad to say.

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Perhaps I'm beating a dead horse (or going off-topic), but I bet that we'll see some big changes to the homeless shelters over the next decade. The increasing property values will encourage the charities to sell, especially as their current facilities-based model fades and the housing-first model takes hold. I imagine housing-first being a major priority for Mayor Bliss—she mentioned it at the debate focused on income inequality, and it's gaining popularity (and showing impressive results) around the country.

Sadly the homeless industry in Grand Rapids is cementing themselves firmly into place on S. Division. They are either renovating their facilities or expanding into neighboring places. So I think S. Division is pretty much finished as ever being a retail district for much. Virtually everything that has been tried down there has had to close because people just dont want to go. They cant even get anyone to fill the old Goodwill space. That is the biggest and best storefront in the area and has its own off-street parking!

Anyone that makes any type of "homeless housing" will likely plant it right in the same place as well, and would be worse for the area than building even more "low income" apartments. That is what shocks me about this bookstore choosing this location. They must have received a sweet deal on rent.

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I'm cautiously optimistic about these new stores, but I don't think retail on South Division can take off unless some sort of major anchor comes in. Having a hypothetical grocery store at Division and Wealthy might give a small boost, but it's too far south to help a ton, at least as things are right now.

Might Ionia be a better retail "main street" for Heartside than Division?

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I think it is more likely for retail to work from division to Weston, up to Sheldon and the surrounding Fulton area. I think retail is a non-starter south of Weston for obvious reasons. 

Ionia might work depending on what happens to the lots near the arena. I'm not too bullish on retail downtown in the near future. 

Joe

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Retail in that area could work, but some still feel parking is and issues when there is not much foot traffic.  Most local workers either stay to one side or the other of division and done venture down division much at all.

Tory O'Haire who started Propaganda Donuts and also The Bandit Queen is now working for the Downtown Market.  Does this mean he sold the two shops? What does this say about the retail in that area.  Also the new owner is spending a good amount of money advertising in Facebook, Amazon Local and Groupon. 

Retail needs some anchor shops or restaurants that pull people to them and then the other shops grab their extra time.  

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I think that the concentration of homeless people will continue to scare away much of the foot traffic. I work out of Blue35, and take the Silver Line to work. On my walk from the Wealthy station to the office, I can almost always count on being asked for spare change at least once. I'm not too bothered by it—it's obvious that almost all of them are keenly aware of the limits they can't cross without breaking the law—but for someone not used to this sort of thing, it would be intimidating.

I like GR_Urbanist's use of the term "homeless industry". Mel Trotter, Degage, etc. have noble intentions, but their business model is somewhat dependent on continuing to have crowds of homeless people loitering in Heartside. Everyone—including the homeless people themselves—would be better off with permanent housing (following the housing-first model) spread throughout the city. Putting a bunch of people with substance abuse issues, mental disorders, etc. in close proximity is not helpful to those people or the community in general.

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Retail in that area could work, but some still feel parking is and issues when there is not much foot traffic.  Most local workers either stay to one side or the other of division and done venture down division much at all.

Tory O'Haire who started Propaganda Donuts and also The Bandit Queen is now working for the Downtown Market.  Does this mean he sold the two shops? What does this say about the retail in that area.  Also the new owner is spending a good amount of money advertising in Facebook, Amazon Local and Groupon. 

Retail needs some anchor shops or restaurants that pull people to them and then the other shops grab their extra time.  

No he's still the proprietor of Propaganda and Bandit Queen.  Tory is heavily involved in community projects and other portions of the arts.  His involvement in the downtown market isn't new. 

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  • 1 month later...

Nice to see MoDiv is sustainable! I haven't been in there in a while, I'll have to check it out this week.

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2015/10/why_tiny_retail_space_is_worki.html#incart_river_home

Sounds like Rockford is getting interest in the retail space in Morton as well. The dog boutique pop-up is eventually going to become a permanent tenant. 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

There's a new national shoe-trading store called Dead Solez moving into 53 Monroe Center. Anyone know what space this is? Google maps puts it by Grand Central Market? 

http://www.rejournals.com/2015/10/12/colliers-international-brings-collectible-shoe-store-to-grand-rapids/

I think Monroe Center is pretty much full now, other than the new spaces in the Morton?

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