When it comes to business in Evanston, location matters.
Borders Books and Music discovered that when it relocated from 1629 Orrington Ave. to 1700 Maple Ave. last year. The store increased its visibility at its new location across from Century Theatres in the Church Street Plaza.
Today, businesses near vacant sites — like the one left by Borders — deal with consumer traffic changes.
George Dunn, store manager of Craig Scott Opticians at 1642 Orrington, said business has decreased because Borders “was a good traffic builder.”
“Having them vacant, that’s a disappointment,” Dunn said.
Craig Scott Opticians, which sells designer prescription eyewear, is on a block that has not experienced the economic growth currently revitalizing other downtown areas. The store is situated within a triangle of building vacancies without a major merchant to pull in customers. It is located north of the old Borders building, across the street from vacancies on the corner of Orrington and Church, and south of the Omni Orrington Hotel, which is closed for remodeling.
“Good for them, hard for us,” said Dunn, who added that he hopes the Borders building will be filled soon — “the sooner the better.”
Not all businesses have noticed changes though. Business remains regular at Flower Magic, 533 Davis St., despite the vacancies left by Panda Express and Wherehouse Music on Sherman Avenue, said employee Diane Yamazaki.
“The biggest thing that’s affected us is the cold,” said Yamazaki, a Medill sophomore. “People aren’t walking on the streets and stopping in to buy flowers.”
But businesses and the Chamber of Commerce do not want to see vacancies abandoned. There is plenty of incentive to fill the former Borders, said Dick Peach, president of the chamber.
“I’d rather see it filled sooner than later,” he said, “but I don’t think it’s an immediate problem.”
Building owners Golub & Company are currently looking to lease the property, said Steven Bare, a broker for Metro Commercial Real Estate.
“We’re marketing, but we don’t have a tenant yet,” Bare said. “It’s possible that we’ll split it up.”
Bare said the space could be leased to a retailer or restaurant, or be redeveloped into residential condominiums.
“The building definitely has less value now that Borders is gone, but it has value in opportunity,” said Bob Budington, portfolio manager for Golub & Company.
According to Dennis Marino, Evanston’s assistant director for planning, the effort to fill the building is an ordinary transition phase.
“The reuse of that space takes time,” he said.
In addition to the empty Borders building, Marino said, the Orrington Hotel’s major renovations will slow Orrington Avenue down for the time being, but this is not indicative of Evanston’s growth.
“I think the entire market area is strong, he said. “The economic development we’ve seen in Evanston over the past five years has been extraordinary.”
And last year, when Borders was looking to move, Peach made sure that Orrington wouldn’t be left behind.
“If we’re going to give (Borders) a shot at prime real estate across from the movie theater, we didn’t want them abandoning the building,” he said. “I didn’t want a vacant building sitting downtown.”
And neither does Dunn.
“The whole downtown is better off because of the development, there’s no question about that,” he said. “But that’s been dead and that hurts.”