Storefront hopes to benefit the South Side
By Charles Christian
As revitalization efforts continue in St. Joseph, a storefront on the South Side is trying to do its part.
Adam Marriott recently purchased the storefront on South 22nd Street across from Dollar General. At first, he leased the space for his Time Out event and activity business. However, he ended up purchasing the entire storefront at 3414 South 22nd St. with the hope of getting more businesses to contribute to the revitalization of that part of town.
“My goal was to keep adding and building more like-minded businesses to attract people back to the shopping center,” Marriott said. “It has been kind of a dead center for awhile, so we have to reeducate people that there are businesses here.”
Businesses like Peter Rabbit Learning and Development Center for children, along with its related Little Bunnies infant and toddler facility, have found a new home in the storefront. Owner Julita Harris said the storefront was reasonably priced, is conveniently located on a major street and has plenty of parking for customers.
“I think the revitalization has already started taking place,” Harris said. “I hope it continues to draw more people to the area.”
Longtime owner of Cosmic Collectibles, Curtis Couldry, said that although the nature of his business tends to not be as location-based, he believes the area is ripe for growth. He feels that having an easy-to-find location at a reasonable price will help his 28-year-old business continue to grow.
“Things are starting to develop a little bit,” Coundry said. “They just opened up a Dollar Tree there, and Dollar General is across the street. Hopefully, that will help build things back up.”
The storefront also includes a bakery and a repair shop.
Marriott has a major event planned for the Time Out event center this summer. The first annual Throttle & Thunder Motorcycle and Car Show takes place on Saturday, Aug. 17, at 2 p.m. The event will include refreshments and musical guests, and proceeds will go to support the Missouri Veterans Home in Cameron.
This event, along with the now fully functioning play center for kids, are part of his goal to see more life return to the area. He said he also hopes to see a restaurant added to the storefront in the coming year.
