Several downtown New Albany businesses have closed following revitalization

Though some have been replaced by other merchants, more than 20 downtown New Albany businesses have closed or reduced their hours of operation during the past three years.

A long-time staple of downtown — J.O. Endris Jewelers — will close after its inventory has been sold, as owner Bob Caesar has elected to retire and shut down the shop rather than sell it.

Keg Liquors relocated from Pearl Street to 4304 Charlestown Road recently. The Gallery on Pearl, Billow Cigar Lounge and Jackson’s Seafood have also closed over the past year, as did Cafe 27 and The Irish Exit.

The New Albanian Brewing Co. scaled back its food service at Bank Street Brewhouse, and other retail shops have limited their hours of operation over the past year.

Downtown also lost the Vintage Fire Museum and Education Center, which left for Jeffersonville, and the sizable building at the corner of Spring and Pearl Streets once occupied by La Rosita Mexican Grill remains vacant.

But downtown has garnered some new businesses recently, including Seeds and Greens Natural Market and Deli and Comfy Cow, and Big Four Burgers + Beer plans to expand into New Albany next year.

Don Vito’s Italian Bistro opened this fall in the former The Irish Exit location off Main Street, and La Rosita’s former owner Israel Landin has plans to open A Taste of Mexico along East Market Street.

TYPICAL TREND

Openings and closing of restaurants are typical of the dining industry, said David Duggins, director of economic development and redevelopment for the city.

“Downtown New Albany is still a great place to do business,” he said, adding that the administration is contacted weekly by perspective businesses eying downtown.

With the opening of the Big Four Bridge and its proximity to Louisville, Jeffersonville has garnered several new businesses and received much of the spotlight in Southern Indiana lately.

It’s natural but unfair for people to compare New Albany and Jeffersonville, Duggins said. They are the biggest cities in Floyd and Clark Counties, but they have different landscapes, he continued.

Jeffersonville has a substantial business corridor anchored by Spring Street and the walking bridge, while New Albany’s downtown is more expansive and blessed with noteworthy architecture, Duggins said.

Three developers in particular — Steve Resch, Ron Carter and Matt Chalfant — have pressed ahead with renovations and construction projects in downtown New Albany despite some indicators that business might not be booming.

Among his projects, Carter is refurbishing a portion of the former Reisz Furniture building along Main Street into office, retail and residential space. Sew Fitting is expected to move there from The White House Center next year.

“We’re going to try and create a destination for New Albany,” Carter told the News and Tribune this summer at the onset of the development.

Chalfant also has several ongoing projects, including renovating a former bank along Pearl Street, which will be the new home for Habana Blues. In turn, he’s restructuring Habana Blues’ current location along East Market Street into apartments.

Chalfant’s efforts to establish more living space downtown are important to sustain and build the business economy there, said Resch, who has a number of developments under his belt, including refurbishing the buildings where Wick’s Pizza, The Exchange and Bank Street Brewhouse are located. He also aided in the redevelopment of the Seeds and Greens building, and doesn’t have any plans of slowing down.

“I think we’re still moving forward,” Resch said of momentum downtown.

There are several buildings downtown whose upper floors could be equipped for apartments and should be developed for housing, he continued.

He agreed with Duggins in that business closures aren’t that uncommon, especially in areas where there’s a lot of activity.

“Some of the closings we’ve had have been self-afflicted,” Resch said referring to possible mismanagement by some business owners.

CITY PRIDE

He believes the customer base exists to support commerce downtown, but business and building owners have to get on board.

“More than anything, I think there needs to be more of a downtown city pride amongst some of the building owners,” Resch said.

Too many buildings sit vacant and unattended and their appearance hurts the physical appeal of downtown, he continued.

But should the city be doing more to attract businesses and to aid existing establishments?

New Albany provides facade grants for businesses through its Urban Enterprise Zone program. Landin recently was awarded facade grants to aid in refurbishing the building where A Taste of Mexico will open.

Events such as the Summer Concert Series at Bicentennial Park and the heavily attended inaugural Boomtown Ball earlier this year are city-sponsored events designed to help boost sales for downtown businesses, Duggins said. The city also mentions businesses in its own media advertising, and supports organizations like Develop New Albany and New Albany First, he continued.

But he doesn’t believe advertising is only the city’s imperative.

“Marketing for the business is primarily the business’ responsibility,” Duggins said.

The city has also installed new sidewalks in areas of downtown, including in front of businesses like Seeds and Greens.

New Albany City Councilman John Gonder, who is also a member of the Redevelopment Commission, said there’s probably more the city can do to help businesses.

But he quickly added that he’s not sure what that might be.

“Obviously, they’re not easy things to do or someone would have already done them,” Gonder said.

He recalled 40 years ago when a person could go downtown and buy about anything they needed. While downtown New Albany has some great businesses, there are some consumer needs and wants that are hard to satisfy there, Gonder added.

Gonder blamed “big box” retail stores, online shopping and the consumer mindset for some of the lapses. People shop based on convenience and price more than sustainability anymore, he continued.

Re-establishing city centers with small, local businesses especially when it comes to retail can be difficult based on how the consumer culture has changed, Gonder said.

“It’s going against a massive tide because it’s an epidemic everywhere,” he said.