A commercial base in flux

I know we’ve reported on it, the number of businesses closing, moving or cutting back in Stanwood. We’ve covered stories about the struggling economy and unemployment rate in both Snohomish and Island counties. Still, empty commercial spaces scattered around the city have caught my attention lately. There are a lot of them, both in uptown and downtown Stanwood.

Thrifty Foods and the former Wells Fargo branch have sat empty for several years, and while the grocery store may still be missed by longtime residents, both buildings are situated off the beaten path so aren’t noticed on a daily basis.

It wasn’t all that long ago when this city’s growth spurt looked like it would never end. New construction filled the gap between east and west Stanwood and continued development seemed imminent. Businesses moved in and began to thrive. A large grocery store and strip mall downtown offered not only an opportunity for the entrepreneur, but convenience for area residents. Now spaces are littered with signs advertising availability.

A state-of-the-art health club and full-service pet establishment once anchored a large multi-purpose building just west of Stanwood Towne Center. Now the handsome structure sits mostly empty with just a dental office and physical therapy clinic occupying space. Other former “going” businesses in west and east Stanwood are replaced with signs for rent.

Uptown mall spaces that offered videos, health food, teriyaki, coffee, wine, restaurants and a laundry mat have since closed. And a new Ace Hardware freestanding building sits eerily empty, not to mention many of the spaces available for lease or sale under condominiums located within the Stanwood-Camano Village.

Now Index Sensor and Controls plans to move its facility to Bellingham, leaving yet another empty commercial structure here. Steve Anderson, owner of the small electronic firm, said he is “paying Seattle prices” on his leased space.

Maybe it’s time for landlords here to reassess the fees they ask of their commercial tenants. Reduced rent is better than no rent and at the very least, provides a caretaker for that property. Times are tough, working together to find common ground between landlord and business owner is imperative to maintaining a healthy community, keeping free enterprise alive and providing basic needs for our residents, while at the same time, attracting visitors.

– Kelly Ruhoff

Editor