The Edmonton Downtown Business Association (EDBA) announces three new retailers coming to downtown Edmonton as part of the EDBA’s Downtown Retail Attraction Program. The announcement was made today at Imagining Downtown, an annual luncheon hosted by the EDBA.
Edmonton-based Good Goods, a socially responsible retailer offering a wide range of bath and body, cleaning and laundry, clothing, jewelry and food and beverage brands, will operate its first permanent store in the downtown core.
Consign Design, a local furniture retailer, has teamed up with Wild Rose Cakes to open an exciting lifestyle concept store named Obj3cts that will sell a thoughtfully-curated selection of housewares, clothing, giftware, and books, alongside hand-crafted cakes, sweets, cupcakes, other baked goods, coffee, and fresh-cut flowers.
The Growlery, an Edmonton-based brewery, is opening a retail taproom, where beer lovers can purchase their favourite local brews. This downtown store will be The Growlery’s second retail store in Edmonton.
Good Goods, Obj3cts and The Growlery are the first three recipients of the Downtown Retail Attraction Program, a retail attraction and incubation program aimed at increasing retail occupancy in the downtown core. Under the program, six new retailers will receive up to $250,000 each to help offset the startup costs of their downtown stores, including construction, initial staffing, up to three months’ rent, and short-term dedicated marketing and operational support. An additional three successful retailers under the program will be announced in late 2023.
The project management team at commercial real estate advisor Avison Young, selected through a competitive RFP process, have led site selections, lease negotiations, permitting, and will advise on store design and buildouts for the successful program participants.
Government funding for this project was provided by the Government of Alberta in a one-time grant to the Edmonton Downtown Business Association for downtown revitalization and economic development activities. Additional funding and support for this project comes from the City of Edmonton as part of its ongoing downtown vibrancy efforts.
The EDBA is committed to supporting a thriving and resilient downtown economy, and initiatives like the Downtown Retail Attraction Program are designed to build a vibrant and prosperous downtown core.
Quotes
“We’re thrilled to welcome these diverse retailers to downtown, each of which adds something unique to downtown’s existing retail mix. These new retailers will provide multi-layered retail experiences that will offer residents, workers, and visitors to the core remarkable spaces and products to explore.”
“This program is about more than just bringing new retailers downtown; it’s about creating a more vibrant and attractive downtown that benefits Edmonton’s overall economy, including our visitor economy, and gives Edmontonians more reasons to visit and celebrate our downtown. A busier downtown with higher occupancy rates and property values is also essential to maintaining a strong overall tax base for the city and will decrease looming tax pressures across all neighbourhoods.”
– Puneeta McBryan, Executive Director, Edmonton Downtown Business Association
“Partnering with the Edmonton Downtown Business Association has been a privilege for Avison Young as, together, our team has taken next steps toward implementing the Downtown Retail Attraction Program by identifying successful candidates for this program. For the past few months, we’ve supported retailers on their paths forward as they help contribute to making Edmonton’s core a more exciting, vibrant destination for residents and tourists alike.”
– Cory Wosnack, Managing Director, Avison Young Edmonton
“Edmonton’s downtown holds a special place in the heart of our province. It is a hub of culture, commerce, and community in which small businesses play an integral role. Alberta’s government is committed to supporting Edmonton’s downtown to be a place where opportunity, innovation, and community spirit thrive.”
– The Honorable Tany Yao, Parliamentary Secretary of Small Business and Northern Development
“Investing in our downtown is not just about bricks and mortar; it’s about building a vibrant heart for our city. Our downtown retail spaces are the lifeblood of this transformation, creating a thriving community that fosters local business growth and provides a welcoming, vibrant hub for our residents and visitors. Thanks to initiatives like the EDBA’s Downtown Retail Attraction Program, we are reimagining, reinvigorating, and revitalizing our downtown, making it a place where people want to live, work, and play. I welcome Good Goods, Consign Design and The Growlery to Edmonton’s downtown core – this is about creating a downtown that pulses with energy, culture, and opportunity, and City Council is deeply committed to supporting all economic development in downtown Edmonton.”
– His Worship Amarjeet Sohi, Mayor, City of Edmonton
“We’re genuinely thrilled to weave our story into the vibrant downtown Edmonton narrative through our participation in the Downtown Retailer Incentive Initiative. Through the financial support and invaluable expertise provided by this initiative, we are empowered to plant our roots into the downtown community, investing in our new store to make it a space where good products, practices, and people converge, while simultaneously contributing to the dynamic spirit of downtown Edmonton.”
– Aga Wajda-Plytta, Co-Founder, Good Goods