The State of Downtown Grand Rapids Retail

[organsnyder]

I'm pretty sure Quiznos is closed. I have a gift card and the MaKay tower location was empty when I tried to use it in April. As was the Knapp-E. Beltline one. Anyone know if there's any more left in town?

There's one in the Shell station on Cascade Rd between East Paris and the I-96 interchange. It was open when I was there last (less than a month ago, IIRC).

[GR_Urbanist]

Bohemia Too is closed?!

That one is going to leave a mark.

I did wonder if the fallout of that pocket park and the subsequent retail closings near it would eventually ripple up to them.

I hope they will reopen in another location like East Hills or Eastown, maybe even on Wealthy Street.

[GRDadof3]

I'm pretty sure Quiznos is closed. I have a gift card and the MaKay tower location was empty when I tried to use it in April. As was the Knapp-E. Beltline one. Anyone know if there's any more left in town?

Yep, went by today and it's dark and cleared out.

[GRDadof3]

Along similar lines, Rockford Construction is investing in a renovation of the Peck Building (Monroe Center & Division) to house retail incubators (separate from the DDA's program). My favorite part:

"The renovation plans include tearing off the brick wall along N. Division to make way for storefront windows."

Includes photos and sketches.

They're taking the wooden panels off the Division side, and you can see the old Peck sign painted on the brick and the old window layout. Wowzers, cool.

[fotoman311]

They're taking the wooden panels off the Division side, and you can see the old Peck sign painted on the brick and the old window layout. Wowzers, cool.

I'm sure they put those panels up just to protect the sign.

[GR_Urbanist]

From Saturday at the Peck.

[joeDowntown]

It'll be interesting to see how they finish it. Hopefully better than their previous attempts on Monroe Center.

I was also kind of hoping they'd find a way to incorporate the Peck sign into the renovation, but I can see how that would be hard with where the windows are going.

Joe

[Hoeks]

I will be excited to see what comes of this!  Locus could be a front runner for this property.  38 is definitely a demonstrated downtown success and it incorporated a parking structure.  

"The purchaser must present a proposal for a mixed-use office and retail development, detail a history of successful downtown projects and pledge a minimum investment of $15 million while committing to a multi-story, 75,000-square-foot building completed within three years of the purchase."

http://www.mlive.com..._rapids_pa.html

[GRDadof3]

I will be excited to see what comes of this! Locus could be a front runner for this property. 38 is definitely a demonstrated downtown success and it incorporated a parking structure.

"The purchaser must present a proposal for a mixed-use office and retail development, detail a history of successful downtown projects and pledge a minimum investment of $15 million while committing to a multi-story, 75,000-square-foot building completed within three years of the purchase."

http://www.mlive.com..._rapids_pa.html

Dah! I swear I was just standing by this lot on Saturday and thought "what a waste of space" for a metered parking lot. Overlooking the arena, attached to a parking ramp. Great to hear.

http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=r4tj2b7vtpq3&lvl=19.77599303825835&dir=5.876530585227781&sty=b&where1=W%20Fulton%20St%20%26%20Ionia%20Ave%20NW%2C%20Grand%20Rapids%2C%20MI%2049503&form=LMLTCC

[GRDadof3]

The owners of the "Barney Building" 52 Monroe Center (where City Market used to be) are requesting a facade grant from the DDA to do $40,000 worth of renovations and updating to the front of the building. Not sure if they have a tenant on the roster or not. Developing...

[fotoman311]

The owners of the "Barney Building" 52 Monroe Center (where City Market used to be) are requesting a facade grant from the DDA to do $40,000 worth of renovations and updating to the front of the building. Not sure if they have a tenant on the roster or not. Developing...

According to Chris Knape, they do.

http://twitter.com/#!/Kcorner/status/113967134228496385

But you can't believe everything you read on the internet.

[GRDadof3]

According to Chris Knape, they do.

http://twitter.com/#...967134228496385

But you can't believe everything you read on the internet.

Yeah, people just use Twitter to get people all riled up.

[GR_Urbanist]

I'm not sure what to make of this. Either it is a real retail shop or maybe an ArtPrize thing. So I flipped coin and decided on real retail establishment.

[GRDadof3]

I'm not sure what to make of this. Either it is a real retail shop or maybe an ArtPrize thing. So I flipped coin and decided on real retail establishment.

Nope, ArtPrize:

http://artprize.org/artists/public-profile/93504

[GRDadof3]

Wolverine World Wide is opening a prototype retail store in MoDiv.

[joeDowntown]

Wow, great news! Will it be a Track and Trail or a company store?

Wolverine World Wide is opening a prototype retail store in MoDiv.

[GRDadof3]

Wow, great news! Will it be a Track and Trail or a company store?

It's called Wolverine Company Store. They were almost open already when I walked by a little while ago.

[joeDowntown]

Is it a popup store, or does it look like a permanent store / put some money into the design and fixtures?

Joe

It's called Wolverine Company Store. They were almost open already when I walked by a little while ago.

[GRDadof3]

Is it a popup store, or does it look like a permanent store / put some money into the design and fixtures? Joe

Looked pretty permanent. I hope to get some photos this afternoon.

[GRDadof3]

Yep, looks pretty permanent. They apparently created the Wolverine logo specifically for this prototype store. It's pretty sweet inside. All of MoDiv is pretty sweet inside. It's a little mall inside of an historic building (with several more businesses coming).

[Veloise]

From the Press:

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2011/09/wolverine_world_wide_prepping.html

[joeDowntown]

Checked out MoDiv tonight. It really could be a great space. Love the small footprints, and glass everywhere. I really hope it fills up and prospers!

Joe

[fotoman311]

The owners of the "Barney Building" 52 Monroe Center (where City Market used to be) are requesting a facade grant from the DDA to do $40,000 worth of renovations and updating to the front of the building. Not sure if they have a tenant on the roster or not. Developing...

The tenant has been reveal. A new bicycle shop is coming to Monroe Center in 2012. Needless to say, I'm excited! Nate has a lot of connections in the local bicycle community and I think he'll do a good job of making something accessible to a lot of people.

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2011/09/bike_shop_coming_to_empty_city.html

[GRDadof3]

The tenant has been reveal. A new bicycle shop is coming to Monroe Center in 2012. Needless to say, I'm excited! Nate has a lot of connections in the local bicycle community and I think he'll do a good job of making something accessible to a lot of people. http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2011/09/bike_shop_coming_to_empty_city.html

Nice! I just saw this.

I didn't realize the Christian Science Reading Room had left. That's a nice small space in 77 Monroe Center for a small retailer.

edit: yeah, $8/sf, on CARWM: http://www.carwm.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=property.mapsearch

This is interesting too, for those who wondered what the demographics were for downtown and 3 - 5 miles out:

http://www.carwm.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=property.mapsearch

[arcturus]

The tenant has been reveal. A new bicycle shop is coming to Monroe Center in 2012. Needless to say, I'm excited! Nate has a lot of connections in the local bicycle community and I think he'll do a good job of making something accessible to a lot of people. http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2011/09/bike_shop_coming_to_empty_city.html

Hopefully he'll have better success than Commute did. At least it's not on S Division.