Co-op closing doors keeps small businesses alive

Miriam Ostermann
Times Associate Editor

 

When conglomerate giant Co-op decided on taking its business out of the downtown and relocate to the highway to accommodate growing demand and a lack of capacity, the move was seen as the destruction of Strathmore’s core – ironically now the only lifeline for some local businesses.
Exorbitant rent in areas across the highway and in Ranch Market are leaving several local businesses treading water, unable to keep up with the area’s big-box stores.
As a result, more businesses are occupying space in the downtown area, some of which were left abandoned.
“Years ago the downtown was expensive too and I didn’t want to move there, but now with the big guys moving out there’s more room for the little guys,” said Ed McCune, owner of Strathmore’s Movie Gallery.
“It’s ridiculous, you just can’t survive out here anymore with a small business. I see it as a very positive move, way cheaper rent. Now every cent I make doesn’t go into making the landlord happy, and it’s a better location as far as proximity to my customers.”
Despite saving money on rent, which McCune said cost him $35 per square foot, the new location on Main Street will locate him closer to his customers, some of whom live in walking distance.
In accordance with the Downtown Design Review Committee’s vision of increasing density, beautifying the area, and attracting more pedestrians to the main stretch, the relocation is one of several changes currently taking effect in Strathmore.
“Every town, every community, every city has specific areas that are commercially developed for multiple box stores, restaurants, shopping centres, groceries stores, and so we will never be able to compete with that,” said Glenn Freeland, chair of the Downtown Design Review Committee (DDRC).
“A lot of this stuff should’ve been done twenty years ago, there’s been a lot of pushback from a lot of our elected officials in the past. Times they are changing. Either you evolve and change or you die. We don’t want to die, we want to change.”
The Town of Strathmore has sectioned the downtown in three distinct areas: Park Village to Waddy Lane, Wheatland Trail and Lakeside Boulevard as the north downtown; 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Avenue, where most businesses are concentrated as central downtown; and south downtown including 5th, 6th and some of 4th Avenue, a predominantly residential area.
While the DDRC has been productive this year with the installation of new street signs, the volunteer committee efforts aim to make the core aesthetically more appealing to building and business owners and renters.
Amidst the changes, which recently included upgrades to the downtown storm sewer infrastructure to accommodate future growth and the approval of a 12-unit apartment building, independently owned sporting good store Rebel Sports is taking up residence in the former Saan store that’s been sitting empty for years.
“There’s a need and there’s a want for it here in town,” said owner Rhonda McCoomb.
“I’ve got lots of parking here and visibility. I could be on the highway, but my core customers aren’t going to be highway traffic, it’s going to be local. So being downtown made sense to me.”
The store will carry sporting equipment for hockey, ringette, baseball, lacrosse as well as clothing, runners, and skates. With minor construction and upgrades to the structure already underway, the store is expected to have its grand opening in the beginning of August.
According to Freeland, making the downtown more appealing through the use of signs, removing back lights, and greener spaces can have an impact on residents frequenting the area. The DDRC is also looking into bringing more festivals to Strathmore’s downtown and together with the town realize that attracting residents will revive the area.
“We think we have a strategy and quite a few of us have been to conferences that deal specifically with saving downtowns in small towns,” said Town of Strathmore Councillor Pat Fule.
“The number one thing they keep hammering away at us is that you have to have residents living downtown. You have to increase the density and if you have the residents then retail will follow, or the retail will be saved.”