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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend January 28, 2006 Ashland’s A Street Market Place goes up for sale By ALAN PANEBAKER for the Mail Tribune ASHLAND — The A Street Market Place just east of downtown is on the market for $3.395 million. Real estate broker Pattie Millen said the owners are ready to move on. "They’re ready to go in different directions, and they have other projects," Millen said. "They create things, then they’re ready to move on." Millen says a quick sale is likely. Even with a sale, all of its existing businesses will remain in their current leases, she said. It is advertised as "(more than) 20,000 square feet of prime retail space" with a "potential for construction expansion." Advertisement Ownership partner Ed Bemis of Bemis Developments Inc. said he has other prospects in the works, which he declined to mention. "That one’s already done," Bemis said of A Street. "There are other sites in town. Our business has been to redevelop. I’m working for development money. That’s what we do." The appeal for a buyer, Millen said, is the space’s potential as the railroad district builds an identity of its own, attracting shoppers, tourists and local customers. "Don’t discount that area as being an offshoot of downtown," Bemis said. According to the city of Ashland, a total of 19 businesses have operated or are in business now at the site since it opened in early 2002. The Music Coop, Enchanted Florist, Cozmic Pizza and Leon Danielle are the only originals left, according to retailers in the building. The high rate of turnover has made it tougher to build a steady clientele, according to some of the business owners in the shopping center. "I feel like sometimes the people who own this place do not really understand how retail works," said John Brenes, co-owner of the Music Coop. In the four years that the marketplace has developed, Brenes and his wife, Trina, have owned the Music Coop in the building. While the couple has a strong lease and no plans to leave, John Brenes said he wishes for more shops retailing similar products to boost his own business. "I think some new blood could do this building some good," John Brenes said. Brenes shares his corner of the building with a flower shop and title company. He would prefer something like a bookstore, but he cannot pick his neighbors. Brenes said the largest problem in recent years has been with neighbors who don’t keep regular business hours. "This is the only retail left here," Brenes said. "If we had strong neighbors, we could increase our revenue 10 to 20 percent." He said the center has lost its original vision of a bustling, unique market with a variety of retail shops and restaurants. Brandon Kirkland owns the Enchanted Florist flower shop with his wife. While Kirkland agrees that more similar shops with regular hours might help his situation, he said he is happy where he is and cannot complain. "If we had more retail, we’d probably do better," Kirkland said, "but the reality is that this is a small town, and you don’t have people wanting to open up a new retail business every day." Neil Buettner, owner of Cozmic Pizza, said the closure of La Familia Fresh Mexican Restaurant next door doesn’t necessarily help his business, but his clientele is so broad that he is not so dependent on similar businesses to bring in potential customers. "I’ve seen enough businesses come and go here, I honestly don’t care what comes in as long as they stay open," Buettner said. Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2006 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker Custom Build Computers Computer Security Discount Hotel Reservations Casinos Canada dvd-r Generic Viagra Myspace Windermere Van Vleet Deep Muscle Stimulator Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Online Bingo Entertainment Guide Online Casino Fundraisers Student Loans Sudoku Online Advertisement s Advertisement