Retail in Colorado Springs faces challenges and sees opportunity in

Colorado Springs Business Journal, Jan 7, 2005 by Stephanie Cline

In 2004, the retail world in Colorado Springs experienced both highs and lows, from a sales spike brought on by the return of several thousand troops from Iraq to the closing of a downtown institution.

Downtown will feel loss of bookseller

When the Chinook Bookshop closed June 15, downtown Colorado Springs lost one of its most recognizable retailers. What effect the closing will have on the downtown business climate remains uncertain.

We have a vibrant, pedestrian downtown, and without a new bookstore, it will hurt, said Richard Skorman, owner of Poor Richard's Bookstore at 320 N. Tejon. Chinook was an anchor to other kinds of businesses downtown such as shops and restaurants. It will be a hard thing to replace.

However, the leader of the Downtown Partnership said the closing's effect on attracting shoppers to the city's center shouldn't be that bad.

Being an anchor business there for so long definitely implies that the store generates pedestrian traffic, said Beth Kosley, executive director of the partnership. (But) the store's loss won't stifle pedestrian traffic to an alarming degree.

Dick and Judy Noyes, who opened the bookstore in 1959, said that for several years it has been difficult to compete with larger chain- owned bookstores and online book sales. And after four-and-a-half decades, both would like to retire.

Troop return boosts retail sales locally

The Chapel Hills Mall, the Citadel Mall and the Shops at Briargate experienced more traffic because of troops returning from Iraq. Allison Towe, marketing director at Chapel Hills Mall said they saw lots of people in military uniforms walking the mall corridors with their families. The traffic is growing, and the atmosphere is upbeat, Towe said. The spending emphasis appears to be on personal services like hair salons, and many people are getting their pictures taken at the studios.

Diane Loschen is the senior marketing manager for The Citadel. She said the return of the troops had a positive impact on sales in the south end of the city as well. Apparel has come back to life, especially shoes, Loschen said. We've seen an overall 4 percent increase in spending. In March and April, we experienced a 5 percent increase in traffic, and I know it is directly linked to the military coming back to our community.

The general manager at the Shops at Briargate agreed with Loschen and Towe about the effect of the returning troops. I think the entire city benefits from the returning troops, Karen Faulkner said. We have definitely seen increased traffic.

Terra Verde owners purchase Chinook building

Chris and Gary Sondermann, owners of Terra Verde, made a big move. Longtime neighbors of Chinook Bookshop owners Dick and Judy Noyes, the Sondermanns decided to purchase the space to expand their eclectic shop. We've really outgrown our space, Chris Sondermann said. We've been here for 12 years, but we outgrew our space about 10 years ago.

Terra Verde specializes in clothing, accessories, jewelry, shoes, gift items and home decor. The expansion, which is expected to be under way in summer 2005, will allow the shop to display a greater selection of its furniture and home accent pieces. Sondermann said she would like to bring in more merchandise. It will give us a lot more opportunity to expand the selection for our customers, she said. We're so excited. We'll be able to carry more jewelry and probably be able to bring in some lingerie lines.

While Terra Verde will grow, the owners are also open to the possibility of renting additional space to another retailer. Our main concern is to keep a lot of retail downtown, she said. The more interesting retail you have downtown, the more business you'll bring downtown. The Chinook Bookshop attracted downtown shoppers and lovers of literature for 45 years and the empty space next to Terra Verde concerned Sondermann since Chinook closed. They're (the Noyes') very committed to retail downtown, and that's something we have in common, Sondermann said.

New Manitou businesses appeal to the local tastes

A Manitou makeover is in the works, and complementing the proposed fresh look and changing face were a few new businesses that have settled downtown during the last year.

Those new businesses are as diverse as Manitou's residents, and the owners are gearing up to attract not only the traditional tourist crowd but also the locals and visitors from nearby towns and cities.

While the Manitou Springs Chamber of Commerce concentrates on the out-of-state summer tourist crowd, the Manitou Springs Business Improvement District is trying to draw its own and residents from areas surrounding the quaint mountain town in an effort to enhance Manitou's year-round livelihood.

The business district formed in 2003 after voters gave it a green light in the general election. The district's funding is based on a per-square-foot dollar amount assessed on the owners and lease holders of the buildings in Manitou's central commercial area. Kitty Clemens is the administrator of the district, and she compared the district's beginnings to the rising tide that raises all ships.