Coming soon: More North Main retail space

• Site of future space on N. Main

This RV parked between two commercial properties advertises more retail space through an extension of the building at 707 N. Main Street. Debbie Griffin photo

Talk about it

Building owner Chad Halvorson confirmed last week that the RV sitting between properties at 703 and 707 N. Main Street advertises retail-business space he’ll create by building a 3,600-square-foot addition onto the structure at 707.

“We’re going to do an addition on the building that houses the jewelry store and nail salon,” he said, adding that he’s still working with the city to finalize and approve the plan.

Halvorson said the additional square footage could all be offered to one company or divided into a maximum of three separate spaces.

“The smallest we’ll have will be 1,200 square feet,” he said.

The building addition will be the same width as the other retail spaces, but it will be about six feet deeper/longer. He says the expanded part will be designed to look “just like” the two spaces already there, with windows in the front and similar finishes.

The plan includes creating more parking along the entire back of the building. The general plan would be for employees to park behind the building and leave the front spaces open for customers.

Halvorson placed the RV advertisement just before River Falls Days.

Since then he’s received several inquiries about the spaces. He’s discussing it with at least one national retailer but can’t reveal which one.

Halvorson said the thing people ask him most often when calling about the space is 1) the traffic count and 2) parking.

The owner said he isn’t discouraging people who want office space but also thinks the location is ideal for retail. Traffic counts in 2009 revealed that about 16,000 vehicles pass the address each day.

“It’s the highest concentration of traffic count in the whole city,” declared Halvorson, disclaiming that some non-commercial areas may have more cars passing.

Asked about the schedule for building the addition, the owner says it will begin after he signs at least one tenant for the new space. After that, the addition should materialize in 60-90 days.

The address of the new addition will be 705 -- possibly with suites A, B and C.

Halvorson bought and remodeled the two buildings at 703 and 707, leasing the spaces fairly quickly to four retail businesses -- a liquor store, a tobacco shop, a jewelry store and a nail salon.

Halvorson says anyone interested in the coming-soon retail spaces can call him at 715-821-8065.

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