String of business closures in downtown Fredericton worries some owners

Since she was a little girl, Eli Croft has noticed fewer and fewer people coming into hergrandmother's store to buy books.

Just over a week ago, the Owl's Nest Bookstore on Queen Street in Frederictonannounced it would close its doors on Sept. 30 after 26 years downtown.

"Even when I was a kid, I used to see so many people in the downtown area coming into the bookstore, coming out of the bookstore, people leaving with arms full of books," said the 21-year-old, who worked there.

While Croft blames the closure on declining numbers of people who buy books, she also points fingers at the City of Fredericton.

Compared to other cities across Canada, she said, there's a lack of parking and things to do in downtown Fredericton, which are both needed by retailers.

"There's no reason for people to come into the downtown unless they're looking for something specific," she said.

More businesses closing

Second Spin Records on York Street, Read's Newsstand and Cafe Fredericton on King, andDamdaRestaurant on Queen, have allrecently closed this summer.Meanwhile,AitkensPewter has relocated toMcLeodAvenue from Queen.

Several factors were involved, including a shortage of labour, health problems, upheavals caused by construction,and fewer customers in the stores.

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Patti Hollenberg, co-owner of Chess Piece Caf, feels that both Fredericton Tourism and Downtown Fredericton Inc., aretrying their best to keep business strongin the downtown.

She cited the upcoming Maritime Oyster Festival in Augustand the Garrison Night Market on Thursday.

"We see the spin-off from what those evenings bring," she said.

But she calls the latest closures a "massive damper" on the downtown business community.

Hollenberg said the core has always had a mix of businesses to draw people in, but when a business closes, nothing good comes from it.

"Whenever you lose a piece of that puzzle, it's heartbreaking to see, especially when you're on the same block."

Although she didn't want to speak on behalf of other owners,Hollenberg said that her impression from speaking to many of them is that business is down.

We've got businesses there that are running off credit cards to pay their bills because of what's happening on that corner.- Bruce McCormack, Downtown Fredericton Inc.

"Some are managing better than others, some are clearly not," she said. "I think there's been better years."

Hollenbergalso said people are frustrated by the traffic caused by construction in the downtown.

"I think that's a source of frustration for most people," she said. "When they go home they don't want to come back."

'Nothing to worry about'

But Bruce McCormack, general manager of Downtown Fredericton Inc., said there's nothing to worry about.

"We're aware of all the different situations that are happening, some we can control, some we can't," he said.

Over the past few years, he said there's been a lot of development in the downtown area, such as the newHilton Garden Inn, toopen on Queen Street, the revitalization of the Centennial Building, the new Fredericton courthouse and new designs ofFredericton's performing arts centre.

And new businesses have moved in, he said, citingRustiCo., which replaced Mexicali Rosa's, and Gahan House Riverside, which replaced Vault 29.

He also said people are interested in renting the spaces that have closed.

"Downtown's fragile, we hate to lose business period," he said.

"But there's so many good things going on we've got to take that in stride and continue to work, develop and support our businesses."

Construction plays a factor

McCormack admitted that construction at the busy intersection with Regent Street has had an impact on downtown businesses but said it will improve the city's infrastructure in the long run.

Construction season has begun in Fredericton

6 years ago

Duration 1:43

There are 22 major construction projects taking place in Fredericton this summer, which will cost more than $30 million.

"We've got businesses there that are running off credit cards to pay their bills because of what's happening on that corner," he said.

Despite the apparent slowdown in places, McCormack said major changes are continuing in the downtown, especially at the east end.

"We feel we're heading in the right direction," he said.