As construction continues on “The Shoppes” retail incubator space downtown, The News Leader reached out to project lead Shawnda Rooney with the City of Guthrie for further information on the program itself.
GNL: What are the timelines looking like, in terms of completion of construction and target date for the first tenant(s)?
SR: We are planning for the opening of The Shoppes to coincide with 89er’s Week. The exact date has not been set yet but this will kick The Shoppes off on a weekend full of festivities and excitement!
GNL: Does the City have the process worked out for potential tenants to apply?
SR: Potential tenants can visit www.guthrieok.com/ theshoppes to find the vendor application. If any potential tenants have any questions or would like to submit their application, they can email theshoppes@ cityofguthrie.com. After gathering the basic information about their business and product through the vendor application, we reach out by phone or email to gather more information to ensure that the expectations from both the City and the tenant line up. If we believe that the vendor is a match, they will be notified in ample time to prepare for the opening date.
GNL: If so, what does that look like, in terms of costs and agreements?
SR: The general retail spaces (8ft x 8ft) cost $150 a month and the food vendor spaces (10ft x 14ft) are $200 a month. Lease agreements are set at six months with options to renew twice, so three years total.
GNL: What are the requirements for a tenant to occupy the space?
SR: Vendors will be responsible for maintaining the appearance and integrity of their specific shop. They will need to hold regular hours during The Shoppes open times. We recognize that some tenants may require specialized hours; for example, if a business owner is looking to be a breakfast bakery or something similar, obviously they may need different hours than a general retail vendor, but we will require that they hold regular business hours for consistency and the greatest chance of success for their business. As much as these are small, pop-up style spaces, they are meant to be a stepping stone in building their business and client base with the hopes of eventually growing into a traditional, brick & mortar store.
GNL: Who will do the approvals for prospective tenants?
SR: A team of city staff will review all materials submitted by tenants and handle the selections.
GNL: Are there any restrictions, like the types of businesses? Also, are there limitations around how long a business will be permitted to stay in one of the spaces?
SR: We don’t have a definite list of what is NOT permitted at this time, but there is a certain selection criteria for what types of products can be sold. We want these to be realistic, sustainable business ideas that have the potential for growth and success. We want to ensure that the business is unique and is complementary to the retail options that we already have in Guthrie. We have a max of two years that a vendor can lease a shop. The hope is that after two years, their business has grown and become successful enough for them to move forward into a larger space of their own.
GNL: Are there already any tenants tentatively lined up, and if so, can you say anything about them?
SR: We have multiple applicants already but no lease agreements have been signed so we cannot announce any potential vendors yet. We will announce vendors as they sign agreements and are guaranteed to be a part of the Shoppes!