$540K renews retail opportunities in Wealthy Street storefronts

By: Deborah Johnson Wood

Two retail suites in a renovated 1895 building are ready and waiting for entrepreneurs to set up shop. Bear Manor Properties invested $540,000 to rehab the former Baker Book House at 1017-1019 Wealthy Street.

“We’re not picky about what goes in there, we’re picky about who goes in there,” said Barry Van Dyke, managing partner. “We want somebody who’s committed to the community.”

The building has five business spaces, and already houses three service businesses. The main floor retail spots are 1,040 square feet and 1,950 square feet, and will lease for $950 and $1,790 a month, respectively. Both have plate glass storefront windows.

The smaller space has 14-foot ceilings, original wood floors, and period pendant lighting. The larger space has 8-foot ceilings and 32 feet of street frontage.

The renovation included restoring the boarded up storefront. Several tiny main floor apartments created maze-like hallways; demolition opened up the space. Six bathrooms were removed and five new restrooms installed.

“After WWII, a significant addition created the second half of the building,” Van Dyke said. “Features were added to the facade to give it a modernist feel—black steel 4×4 panels and a chrome awning between the first and second floors. It has very clean lines. We added deco lighting to dress it up and to highlight the character of the building.”

Source: Barry Van Dyke, Bear Manor Properties

Deborah Johnson Wood is Development News Editor for Rapid Growth. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.