This project helps lower costs so Small & Micro-Businesses can open a shop.
This helps Businesses that lost their storefront in the fire to open while waiting for their shop to be rebuilt.
This is a new trend in supporting local businesses in small rural towns.
Becky McCray writes in “Innovative Small Business Models in Small Towns”
#4. Tiny business villages
Groups of tiny houses or dressed-up sheds are popping up on empty lots and unused green spaces, filled with extra-small businesses. The smaller spaces encourage lower-risk experiments, and all the businesses together draw a critical mass of visitors to the village. The key factor is to bring a number of them together. One tiny business on its own is lonely; groups of tiny businesses are a draw.
Individual crafters or artisans who couldn’t fill an entire store get a chance to fill a tiny space. Agri-tourism businesses like wineries or maple syrup who couldn’t justify renting an entire downtown storefront, can easily support a tiny storefront.
Tiny businesses are a good fit for super-specialty retail.
McKenzie Community Partnership is working with locals to create special opportunities to help small businesses open in Blue River. This includes opportunities for micro businesses.
Many of these smaller organizations would likely never have the opportunity to open if they had to build a building and pay the current operation overhead required by a traditional location.
The small season and pop up retail opportunities will help us build small business opportunities in our community.
The space already has commitments for 2 food carts, a book/gift store and will work with other community groups including art guilds and gardening clubs.
This is huge as Blue River has no existing retail buildings.
We have a huge desire to see quality buildings rebuilt in the downtown core with vibrant businesses. This Tiny Business Village is a step in making things better. As small shops get established and grow they are more likely to build bigger in Blue River. Bringing energy & vibrancy will help attract more business investment to rebuild our commercial space.
We are looking for funding partners for this project. Please reach out if you’d like to participate.
If you are interested in help ing us to build this and / or having your business in the village, reach out to us through our contacts links or give us a call. 541-204-1001
Update 6/28
We have a donor for shipping containers and they should start arriving shortly!
Proposed Layout
In Phase I of the project we expect to place 3 buildings and 2 food carts
- Art Gallery / Artist Co-op (more info below)
- Indoor Gathering Space – will provide indoor, heated seating during shoulder and off season. It will also serve as a small meeting space for community groups, board meetings and training.
- Another Specialty Food cart and Contract Commercial kitchen (rentable for local food businesses).
At the center of the space will be an Outdoor Garden / Seating area for people to relax, eat, meet with friends and enjoy the space. We will also have space for pop-up vendors.
Other features:
Plans include restrooms and showers, as there is a huge need for this service for campers, cyclists and other tourists.
Art Gallery
Here is a rendering of how the Art Gallery building might look:
Support for local artists
This building is designed to showcase works by local artists. 40′ long by 8′ wide and 9′ tall will serve as an exceptional micro art gallery. The intention is to support local artists, have a featured art show every week. Eventually in phase 2 we hope to have studio space for art workshops. We will be working with local art guilds. The space may also be used as a co-op space.
Phase II will include:
Additional space for vendors, business incubator space (shared offices with high speed internet and other support services), space for art workshops.
Project Expenses
Total Development Cost is around $150,000-200,000
We have over $60,000 in cash and in-kind donations already.
We are well on our way!