A cultural rebirth of Greeley’s downtown core is happening before our very eyes, said downtown and city officials.
Becky Safarik, the assistant city manager, said she calls this time a “downtown renaissance,” because the downtown, which is a big part of Greeley’s history, is being revitalized and remembered after many years of sitting in the shadows.
“It has ignited the spark that allowed private individuals and businesses to reinvest in the downtown and rediscover the downtown area,” she said. “And the destinations are so distinctive you only find them in the downtown.”
As it stands, there are only three spots left for businesses to locate downtown, a huge turning point in an area that years ago could barely sustain a new business for two years.
Realtor Matt Revitte said downtown has definitely lost its “ghost town” label.
“Greeley’s best-kept secret has been exposed,” said Matt Revitte, an agent with Pro Realty downtown, and a downtown building owner. “You can count on one hand the amount of open retail spaces available on either the 8th or 9th street plaza and on 8th or 9th avenue.”
Revitte has had a hand in downtown properties since the early 1990s, and he said it hasn’t always been easy. But in the past few years he can hardly work fast enough to keep up with the demand.
Pam Bricker, executive director at the Downtown Development Authority, said there is a lot of activity taking place downtown.
“We really just have three spaces that I would call retail spaces,” open, Bricker said. “Our vacancy rate is very low, especially compared to five years ago.”
The three retail spaces open are at 805 8th St., 809 10th St. and 906 9th Ave., Bricker said. In the past three years, the downtown core has seen additions including the Chophouse, the Moxi Theater, 1908 Speakeasy and Stuft – A Burger Bar. Weld Werks Brewing Co., an art studio and Mary’s Mountain Cookies will soon join the ranks in new downtown attractions.
Bricker said the DDA has worked hard to try to be part of the revitalization. It has pulled together with the city of Greeley to create events and an atmosphere to draw people to the area.
“The more people you give a chance to come down here, the more they see, ‘Oh, wow! Things really are happening down here,” Bricker said.
Rents downtown are affordable compared with other areas in Greeley, so Bricker said they encourage new and small business owners to move there.
“As an independent business owner myself, once I moved downtown, I realized this is where independent business owners belong.”
Suzanne Sereff, owner of Warm Hugs Mixes and Gifts on the 9th Street Plaza, said she has seen an increase in customers because of the foot traffic that is attracted by the other new stores.
“We’ve been here five years and when we came in, it was the height of the recession so it was very empty,” Sereff said. “It’s been fun to see the evolution.”
She said the area is kind of a collective, and they help each other out. If she doesn’t have a product a customer is looking for, Sereff said, she tries to send them to another downtown business.
“It’s a neighborhood feeling and people want to buy local,” she said. “Many local shops are downtown.”
Another pillar in the downtown core, Mark Florio, owner of Florio’s Shoes on 9th Street, said a lot of the changes have happened because of the Friday night Go Cup events.
“It’s great for us because (people) look in our windows,” during the event, he said. “Then they come down the next day.”
Florio said another reason for the growth is that the oil and gas fields have brought a lot of money into the area.
“When you have people with money in their pockets, they’re willing to go out and spend it,” he said.
Low rents in downtown also contribute to people wanting to open stores there, Florio said.
“I hope it stays this way because that’s how you fill buildings,” he said.
Florio said Greeley has a lot to offer, and it’s starting to look like what Fort Collins’ Old Town looked like about 20 years ago.
And more businesses keep moving in, Safarik said.
“I think what’s happened is folks look to the folks that are having success,” and try to mimic them, she said. “From a city standpoint, it’s a terrific way to say money. We already have the infrastructure. Taking care of existing development is just good business.”
There are a smorgasbord of shops, Revitte said, all within a two or three block radius, and that, alone, attracts people.
“Understand, I’ve struggled the last 20 years,” Revitte said. “I’ve had buildings with no tenants, and I’ve had buildings with tenants, and I like the buildings with tenants way more.”
Revitte said he’s happy with the changes that are happening.
“Now the rest of northern Colorado has learned that we’re pretty cool,” he said. “It’s just a great place to be.”
