Saturday, December 17, 2005

The Changing Downtown "Streetscape"

Are we really really making a great downtown?

We received this communication from a Save Our Sarasota supporter:

Just stopped by the Hallmark card shop on Main, just west of Lemon, and heard that they will be closing soon - their rent was just doubled to $4500 a month!!

Can't believe they were even making any money at $2200. This shop has always been very supportive of displaying Save Our Sarasota petitions and fliers. A lady shopping there was saying all the things we all think and was happy to hear about SOS.

For all you bargain hunters - all greeting cards are 10 for $10 and 70% off lots of other stuff.

Reminiscent of the Pastry Art shop.

Our unique, small businesses in downtown will be pressured more and more as the rents rise. Rents will rise because of increasing valuations of properties which are the result of the unchecked growth downtown. Apparently this is the price for changing from a small town with urban amenities into a "true city".

Soon we may only have the chain "fashion" stores downtown.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Someone should note that before their rents rise, many small downtown businesses have been choked and inconvenienced by a couple years or so of construction hassles, road closings, noise, pollution and the like. The resulting loss of revenue leaves them weaker, less able to financially absorb higer rents. We have made the downtown area safe for Starbucks, but not the quirky and unique little shops that are closing and downsizing.