By Mario Toneguzzi

With downtown Barrie undergoing a major construction program, a unique holiday pop-up program has been launched in the nearby Georgian Mall called The Shops of Downtown Barrie.

Five downtown shops are investing in temporary space at the mall to promote their businesses and the downtown throughout the Christmas shopping period. Stores participating are Everleigh Garden; Janet Kemp Ladies Fashion and Accessories; Olive Oil Co. Barrie and Newmarket; Our House; and ZuZu Fashion Boutique.

“Downtown Barrie is going through a streetscape redevelopment. It’s happening in three phases and the first phase is pretty much done. It’s three big blocks downtown and they’re doing one block at a time. They did the first block from September to November. The next block will be the spring of next year so February to May and then the third and final block will go May to September,” said Denise Tucker, owner of Olive Oil, which is in its fifth year of business with four locations - the oldest one in the downtown, established in 2015.

“But it’s been hugely impactful to businesses because as you can imagine regardless of the fact that they’re doing one block at a time and the businesses are all open for business the whole time, and you can get in the front door, people hear that there’s construction in an area and absolutely avoid it.”

Tucker said that because of the disruption many businesses came together to promote events and each other during the construction phase but the impact on business remained noticeable.

Tucker said the use of the mall space will be hugely important for the businesses.

“There are two businesses who have already gone through their level of the construction. So they’re trying to recoup what they’ve lost . . . And there hasn’t been a resurgence back to the downtown despite the fact the construction ended. People are still not aware. People still avoid it,” said Tucker.

“The other three of us are trying to get ahead of what we think is going to be difficult in the spring of next year. It’s going to be hugely impactful for our businesses and impactful for raising awareness of what we have going on downtown - of the culture, of the spirit, of the collaboration, of the community that we’ve built down there. So this (pop-up program) really gives us the opportunity to talk to people who wouldn’t normally come downtown - who do go to the mall shopping. It gives us an opportunity to reach people we wouldn’t normally reach.

“My company did a pop-up at Georgian Mall back in 2016 for Christmas. People still come into our other three locations today and say ‘didn’t you have a store at Georgian Mall?’ So it’s really a great demonstration of how we can work together to help build all of our business.”

Each shop in Georgian Mall will feature a full retail environment and sell products that represent their proven brands at their downtown Barrie shops.

Tucker said the initiative is not about mall shopping versus downtown shopping; it’s about using the opportunity at the mall to promote the collaborative business spirit and all the great things that are happening in the downtown community.

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We're excited to announce that five retailers from Shops of Downtown Barrie are setting up a "Pop Up" Shop this holiday season at Georgian Mall. This unique shop will feature Everleigh Garden, Janet Kemp Ladies Fashion, Olive Oil Co., Inc. Barrie and Newmarket, Our House, and ZuZu Fashion Boutique. The shop opens Wednesday, November 27th and will be located on the lower level next to The Source. #barrieontario #shoplocal #giftideas #christmasshopping

A post shared by Georgian Mall (@georgianmall) on Nov 25, 2019 at 10:56am PST

"The new and improved Dunlop streetscape will put downtown Barrie on the map for a truly pedestrian-focused main street that everyone will want to experience, including a beautiful new flexible street with rolling curbs, wide sidewalks, new streetlights and so much more," said Craig Stevens, Managing Director of the Downtown Barrie BIA (Business Improvement Area).

The Shops of Downtown are in about a 3,800-square-foot location beside The Source on the Lower Level of Georgian Mall near Entrance #2 – The Fireplace.

“I am thrilled to be included in this unique opportunity to offer a peek into the special experience customers enjoy when they enter my downtown shop. As a member of a vibrant community however, I am proud to be one of the many creative and interesting businesses that call downtown Barrie home. If you haven’t visited our neighbourhood recently, you’re missing out,” said Tracey Baker, Owner of ZuZu Fashion Boutique.

Suzanne Cayley, vice president of specialty leasing for Aurora Realty Consultants who provide services to RioCan which owns the Georgian Mall, said the space was formerly used by HMV. The pop-up shops range from 300 to 450 square feet with a common space in the middle.

“I’m calling it the three C’s - community, collaboration, and connecting. I think it’s important we as the property continue to do everything we can to support the community and the retail environment within Barrie as a community,” said Cayley. “It’s also an opportunity for the retailers to be able to develop perhaps a different customer base . . . so it’s connecting them with different and newer customers too,” she said.

“It’s about promoting small businesses.”

Mario Toneguzzi, based in Calgary has 37 years of experience as a daily newspaper writer, columnist and editor. He worked for 35 years at the Calgary Herald covering sports, crime, politics, health, city and breaking news, and business. For 12 years as a business writer, his main beats were commercial and residential real estate, retail, small business and general economic news. He nows works on his own as a freelance writer and consultant in communications and media relations/training. Email: mdtoneguzzi@gmail.com

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