City officials are seeking to rejuvenate Culture Collectives, a pilot program to provide storefront space on State Street to minority-owned businesses, the Wisconsin State Journal reports.
The program, started in October 2021, began with the goal to support 13 small businesses. Each vendor would rent a section of storefronts at 440 and 444 State St. for a nominal fee to cover rents, which were offered at a reduced rate by building owner and developer JD McCormick Properties. Each microbusiness was offered a three-month lease to explore having a brick-and-mortar space. The lease could be extended if desired, with operating hours set by the business owners.
The program, a collaboration between JD McCormick, the city, and several business organizations, has faced setbacks, and only three shops currently occupy the State Street space. Some vendors have left citing the increased profitability of online retail. Additionally, the program was slated to stay in place on State Street only until JD McCormick moved forward with plans to raze buildings along the 400 block in the summer of 2022; these plans have stalled because the city refused the developer’s bid.
The city has been paying $2,900 in monthly rent for the State Street storefronts since June 2022; the money comes from $3.9 million for economic development the city received through the American Rescue Plan Act. Meanwhile, the city is exploring options to keep Culture Collectives in place.
