Proctor Station hasn’t changed in months. A double-wide, double expensive clothing store is all we have to show for our new building. Well, that and a lot of shade and a couple parking spots in Proctor Canyon. I want to like this place. I remain open-minded. Sort of. If donuts or something of equal weight don’t appear soon, the legacy will not be good. Are the rumors of all vendors falling through or backing out true? Is the application/vetting process proving to be too much for prospective businesses interested in moving to the Proctor District’s newest address?
From where I stand, it looks like Proctor Station’s commercial leasing department is waiting for a Walmart or McDonald’s or Macy’s or some other ‘strong’ chain with national backing to enter stage right. I’ve heard of ‘lesser’ companies being told, “you’re not good enough” for Proctor Station. I’ve seen a donut shop take several months to not show up, while “coming soon” signs age in the window. A real estate company and a barbershop have entered the “coming soon” realm as well – that means they’ve hung signs in the windows outside their empty spaces. I’ve heard of exorbitant prices at the clothing shop – clearance racks have appeared on the sidewalk out front. At this point the shuffleboard on the roof is the biggest potential draw. I’ll post an update if I ever gain access to it.
There are a few things that need to be understood about this neighborhood in the new millennium. Mom and pop shops rule the streets here. An old theater, an old bowling alley, and one-off restaurants and bars are thriving. A guy renting VHS tapes has survived for years, yet Subway failed twice in the same spot in the heart of the district. We have been up to our elbows in pricey, boutique shops, with varied outcomes. Unless you are Starbucks (already one block away) you actually have to be an interesting business to make it here. There is a level of financial clout that the commercial leasing department is looking for and I don’t know that many interesting businesses have it. All the strong financials in the world can’t support a business that nobody cares about.
Hopefully the building will settle for making their money on the upper floors, while filling the street level with businesses that serve the neighborhood first and pay hefty leases later. Unless there is a shift in perspective, prolonged vacancy and a carousel of failure may be the future of Proctor Station’s ground level.
