Program offers cheap rent for businesses to set up in downtown Sudbury

Sudbury -

The Downtown Sudbury Business Improvement Association has launched a unique new program called Zero Vacancy Downtown.

It partners businesses with landlords offering reasonable rents. The idea is vacant spaces are occupied while landlords search for permanent tenants.

Sarah White is getting ready to open up a ladies' vintage clothing and accessories shop on Cedar Street through the program.

"This has been an amazing opportunity," said White, the owner of Kulta Vintage. "I am really excited for it. My business has been in my home for a year and a half and it gives me the chance to come out and have an actual brick and mortar store and welcome my clients in person to shop."

Through the program, businesses pay $221 a month on 30-day rolling leases that can be terminated by the landlord or the tenant.

"The incentive (for) the landlord is it helps them carry that empty space,” said Kyle Marcus, managing director of Downtown Sudbury. “So instead of it sitting vacant and empty, you know, maybe being the target of vandalism or trespassing, now we are filling it with people who are creating these beautiful storefronts."

Downtown Sudbury said the program is a win-win for businesses and landlords is modelled after a program in New Castle, Australia.

"Essentially what we do is move in and out people who traditionally wouldn’t have stepped up to create a... or be able to pay first and last month's rent, or were maybe a little turned off by the price of rent or maybe were just a little nervous to take that first step into brick-and-mortar entrepreneurship," Marcus said.

Latitude 46 Publishing is opening an independent book and gift store through the program.

"Included in the reduced rent is that there is no long-term commitment," said publisher Heather Campbell. "We get to try this out and see what the response is going to be. And then if we choose to stay because it looks good as a business concept, then that option is there, as well."

The Downtown Sudbury BIA currently has four businesses in the program that are opening in the next few weeks and said it has a waiting list of more than 30 other businesses that want to take part.