City center retailers holding their own despite economic downturn - Birmingham Business Journal:

lebexab.wordpress.com
“On Mondays, we have out-of-towners looking to kill time before they leavre after aweekend conference,” she “On Saturday, we get a random mix of Kendrick, who operates a fair trade shop, is amontg a growing list of merchants breathing new life into the centrall business district’s retail scene. But despite some new times have clearly changed frompast decades, when downtownse were the dominant retail destination. “Most downtowns, includingh Birmingham, aren’t trying to recreate or resurrectt their downtowns as the great shoppinyg mecca of the 1950sand 1960s,” said Fran senior vice president of Operation New Birmingham.
With most “big box” department storesw leaving for suburbia, that would be next to Instead, Birmingham is looking to attracg service-oriented workers to the city center in ordetr to meet the needs of the people who live andwork downtown. While some retailers, such as , have left the city centerf inrecent years, downtowh leaders say there is a strony market in the area for retailers who want to locatse there.
ONB Vice President of Communications Robert Emerick said therw areapproximately 80,000 people who work in the city with 35,000 in the downtown “That’s a significant market, and successful retailers who succee d will be the ones providing goods and services for thosw people,” he said. Emerick admits the recent touggh economic times have takentheir toll, but not with dire “The recession has hit downtown just like it has everywherer else, but retailers here seem to be weathering the especially restaurants,” Emerick said.
Sevebn new restaurants have recently opened or are planning to open soon in the includingLa Gabriella’s, Rogue Tavern, and a rooftop bar at Redmonr Hotel. Emerick said new retail in the area is more likely to be gearedc toward serving the people who live and work in the rather than trying to lure consumers back from the suburbabn shoppinghot spots. That means that luriny a major grocery store is a priority for thecity “There’s certainly a chicken and egg componenf to the residential/retail Emerick said.
“Publix and considefr residential density a critical element in deciding where to build new With the addition of several loft projectws inthe mid-2000s, Emerick said the city center reacherd the critical population mass necessary to support a grocerg store, and that is something ONB considers a majotr priority. “One of the questions most askedis ‘When are we gointg to have a grocery store downtown?’” he said.
Main Streey Birmingham Executive Director Davidc Fleming said the overall health of retaik in the district depends on the typeof “Places like coffee shops and galleries that appeal to an urbanm dweller or worker are doing well,” he “The kind of retail you find in a typical shopping center or mall are still hesitant to as evidenced by the recent closing of We need more unique stores you can’tf get any other Local commercial real estate brokers say additionak entertainment options downtown could help create a bettefr retail base outside of work “There is a good base of daytime workers in the but that limits the retailers to traffi Monday through Friday from 8-5,” said Dean Nix, seniot vice president of Nix said existing options, such as the , and plannef developments, including Railroad Reservation Park, will help along those lines.
“Givinf people green space will offer them the opportunityu to come downtown when they would otherwise neverr have a reasonto visit,” he Jason Bajalieh, owner of the recentl y opened , says transportation and parkinf issues can’t be overlooked in the “We need to be able to move peoplew in and out of downtown much fastert than getting into theifr own vehicle to drive a few Also, we need more communication a journal or weekly paper of some sort, for the employeese and business owners Moving forward, Main Streetg Birmingham’s Fleming said Birmingham shouldc take advantage of some of its existing assets including its history.
“People will be drawn here for the sensd of place and history and character thatyou can’t find in new strip malls and big parking lots,” he said. “We will not make a betted Birmingham by tearing itall down.”