Prominent downtown Aspen spaces highlight offseason retail shuffle
The Aspen Times
EMPTY SPACE
501 E. Hyman Ave.
1,047 square feet
Vacated by Brumpy-Ute Gallery
520 E. Hyman Ave.
1,016 square feet
Vacated by W Jewelers
108 S. Mill St.
1,200 square feet
Vacated by Artery Aspen
240 S. Mill St.
1,300 square feet
Vacant for a year
219 E. Durant Ave.
3,000 square feet
New space
This spring’s offseason shuffle has resulted in a number of prominent retail spaces available for rent around town, including the Mill Street space Takah Sushi occupied for decades, a Galena Street space an international retailer is leaving after four years, and Lil’ Boogie’s, a Cooper Avenue spot listed while Boogie Weinglass attempts to sell his building across the street.
The 3,400-square-foot space Takah Sushi occupied at 320 S. Mill St. is available for lease, according to listing agent Karen Setterfield of Setterfield & Bright. Her company also is marketing 307 S. Galena St., which retailer Kate Spade is expected to vacate in mid-June. The 1,370-square-foot space sits above 880 square feet of basement and is located on a thoroughfare some call Aspen’s Rodeo Drive.
Lil’ Boogie’s, a 900-square-foot space located at 405 S. Hunter St., is expected to be available this fall. The listing agent is Lex Tarumianz of Aspen Snowmass Sotheby’s International Realty.
City of Aspen Finance Department numbers dating back to 2003 show that the summer of 2014 was a record-setter for retail sales in town. June, July and August all set high-water marks for gross retail sales, totaling a little more than $183 million. July most significantly topped the record set the same month the previous summer, increasing from $61.1 million to $69.9 million.
Officials are projecting about $175.3 million in gross sales for the upcoming summer, which would be the second highest total since 2003. Starting that year, totals increased each summer until 2009, when the year-to-year total dipped from $141.4 million to $121.4 million. Each summer since 2009 has seen sales increases.
While Setterfield said she doesn’t like making projections, she anticipates another record-setting summer this year.
“There seems to be a strong momentum,” Setterfield said, adding that there has been a lot of interest from local retailers and operators seeking space. “There’s such strong activity for people wanting retail spaces.”
She noted that as people witness the construction of the second phase at the Dancing Bear Aspen, interest has increased for the 3,000-square-foot restaurant space, located at 219 E. Durant Ave.
“It was harder a year ago when they were doing a lot of underground work and you couldn’t see that it was going to get done,” Setterfield said.