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Property Opportunity

Avatar photo by Casey Woods, Executive Director | April 18, 2019
Location, Location, Location used to stand out as the major indicator of potential success for businesses and organizations.  While location is still very important, we have a better understanding of the location based factors that allow for business or organizational success.  The older understanding of business placement centered around “counting cars” to determine traffic surrounding an area, with the assumption that more vehicular traffic would automatically result in higher sales.  Newer placement philosophies look at area traffic drivers, adjacent housing, operational hours of complimentary businesses, area events, pedestrian/bike accessibility, price per square foot, visibility, AND vehicular traffic patterns.

 

In the world of retail, the world is changing pretty quickly.  Gigantic storefronts are being replaced

with smaller options due to improved logistics management and an understanding of actual square footage needs.  On-line sales are hurting chains (even more than independents) and requiring a change in development philosophy. Service based businesses and organizations often look for areas adjacent to “third spaces” (hangouts like restaurants and bars) to conduct activities in the immediate vicinity of an office complex. Restaurants look for anchors (courthouses, civic centers, colleges, etc.) that can act as a constant source of consuming traffic for their business. All businesses understand that people travel in ways beyond the “car”, and a strong indicator of business success are linkage points and general accessibility of housing in the immediate area of commercial options.  Restaurants are highly dependent on nightlife or other events to generate a dining public looking for an experience.

 

Emporia Main Street has a Property Availability Guide (to submit a property CLICK HERE), but there are a few new locations that may fit your existing business concept as you consider a move, act as the perfect place to start a new business, or serve as an organizational headquarters.  We have some vacant properties downtown that aren’t actively marketed as “for sale” or “for rent” even though they are vacant (you don’t have to be logical to own commercial property), but we have some quality properties that are new to the local inventory, like those below:
In one case, with the 502 and 504 Commercial Building, a profitable business is included within the building sale, and one of the upper stories has one of the nicest loft apartments in the entire downtown.  Some of the office spaces listed are in high traffic areas, with dedicated parking, and reasonable rent rates.  These spaces represent awesome opportunities for businesses or organizations to grow sales and traffic.
If you are looking to upgrade your commercial property, open a business, or expand your current operation, now may be the time to contact a local real estate agent, look through our available property listing, and consider your options.  Emporia Main Street researched some of the business types we believe could satisfy significant market demands in most of the identified properties, and we have financial resources that could potentially assist in a building purchase, rehab, or business startup in various properties.  Simply contact Emporia Main Street if you have any questions.

About the Author

Casey Woods, Executive Director

Before accepting the director position in March of 2009, Casey worked in both retail and agricultural jobs in the family businesses. A lifelong resident of the Emporia Area, Casey was a ten year volunteer for Emporia Main Street prior to his appointment as director. During that time he served as the board president and chair of the Economic Vitality Committee.

Casey also serves as a partner in PlaceMakers, LLC, a consulting firm that routinely works with both large and small communities, and their businesses, to promote sustainable economic growth through community and economic development practices. Casey consults with businesses, organizations and communities to understand their market capacity and fill vacant spaces. He has been involved in two projects that included crowdfunding as a part of their overall business funding strategies, Radius Brewing and Twin Rivers Winery & Gourmet Shoppe.