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Over the summer, there seemed to be a higher number than usual of businesses closing their doors or facing significant changes. Thunder Bay Winery moved from the Center Building to their manufacturing facility on Water Street. Sweet Baby James closed its doors. Noise & Toys relocated outside of downtown, and Bob's Bullpen moved into their former space, closing their restaurant and arcade. Further down Chisholm St., the vacant lot where Sports Page used to stand went for sale. Across the street, Thunder Bay Chrysler closed their doors. Moving into September, Rusty's Corks & Cocktails also announced their building was for sale, with hints at a possible relocation of the cocktail and wine bar. Art in the Loft announced a restructuring. The Black Sheep Pub also closed their doors, as the owners retired.
Over my last nine years, I have come to expect business changes and shake-ups downtown, spurred on by a variety of personal and business decisions. But even for me, the last few months seem to have an uncommon amount of changes. Even I wondered what many asked: "what is going on downtown?" Is downtown headed for a downturn?
Let's look at a few other changes.
Blu Blends and Truck Your Pizza (along with their sister business Truck Your Bakery) announced they have found a brick-and-mortar, graduating from the Water Street Commons to a year-round location at 700 N. 2nd Ave. This is exactly the purpose of the Commons: give new businesses a space to launch, test the market, and find success in a brick-and-mortar.
Three new restaurants are also under construction: The Eddy (112 W. Chisholm St), a new tavern located at Clem's Bait & Tackle (at last, a place to get food and drink along the Thunder Bay River), and a new enterprise where the Black Sheep was that will be operated by the owner of Rosa's (not Italian- a different concept). I expect exciting announcements throughout the upcoming winter months.
Thunder Bay Theatre is finishing its monumental $2 million renovation. After six years of being closed, the theater is planning a grand reopening in Spring 2027 with several smaller events this fall and winter. Selected as a participant in the Public Spaces Community Places grant program, they have until November 14th to raise $50,000 to win a matching grant that will allow them to reopen, a promising final fundraising push to bring back a significant spoke in the cultural wheel of downtown.
Two more buildings started transformative facade improvements– Emery Enterprises and Sunrise Mission. Expect facade work to also continue on 700 N. 2nd Ave and 701 N. 2nd Ave. across the street, all supported by the DDA and made possible by significant private investment.
A group of local community members have launched efforts to create a food co-op downtown, a grocery store that would be open daily carrying local produce, natural and organic foods, and your everyday grocery staples. They expect to launch a membership-ownership campaign later this fall. While a storefront could be several years on the horizon, the effort has been met with significant community support and could be a much-needed anchor that draws people daily to our district.
A business owner recently commented that things frequently change in seven year cycles. When I reflect on our downtown, just about seven years ago, it was entering a similar period of concentrated change. The Alpena Mall had closed, and downtown gained several new retailers (Colburn Outfitters, Glik's, Cobbygoose, Prattscape, and the Style Wherehouse). Sweet Baby James, the Bluebird Boutique, Two Bit Arcade, Freier's Pizzeria, and Red Brick Tap & Barrel had just opened. Renovation began on the library and Presque Isle Farm Cider. The two cinemas closed. A fire burnt John A Lau and closed Thunder Bay Theatre.
As businesses close, folks retire, and changes inevitably happen, it is our goal to ensure the ecosystem of downtown is strong enough to absorb these changes. If a restaurant closes, are there other options to fill that need? If a shop owner retires, are there other ways to bring retail downtown? If local spending is down, how can we encourage more tourism? And most importantly, are there other folks waiting in the wings to start or relocate their business, waiting for the right opportunity to open?
Is downtown headed for a downturn? I don't think so. Downtown has seen its cycles.. I am encouraged by the businesses and the individuals investing in the future of our downtown, seizing their opportunity to guide it into the future.