By Emily Scaff
In Lexington, downtown businesses are playing a game of musical chairs as longtime stores relocate, businesses close down, and shops look to expand.
In the past three months, multiple businesses have decided to relocate in search of buildings with better foot traffic and more suitable infrastructure. Another store, Pumpkinseeds, is being forced to relocate due to changes in building ownership.
“It is unusual for all of these businesses to be moving around,” said Rebecca Logan, executive director of Main Street Lexington. “But it is a domino effect. Once a storefront becomes available, there is always interest in businesses moving in.”
Thistleberrys, a gift store that sells baked goods and homewares, will be relocating to 13 W. Nelson St. by March 1, owner Jannie Linn said. Linn plans to open a tea room and expand her gift shop.
The new building, just two doors down from the current location, is slightly larger and will be better suited to having an operating kitchen and dining area, Linn said.
“I have wanted a tea room in Lexington for 50 years,” she said. “I always had the dream of making a tea room and gift shop.”
Hatterwick, a gift store that sold handmade candles, had occupied the space at 13 W. Nelson St. In December, the owner announced that the brick-and-mortar shop would be closing.
Other downtown businesses have also decided to relocate in search of buildings better suited for their needs. On Feb. 1, Violett Consignment moved to 16 W. Washington St. after being on East Nelson Street for nearly a year.
Store owner Sheila Glaeser said the new location is better for attracting tourists as they walk through downtown.
“The tourists are my customers,” Glaeser said. “Eighty percent to eighty-five percent of my customers are first-time buyers, which leads you to believe they don’t live here.”
Glaeser said the new building is also more affordable than her previous location. Her monthly rent will be decreasing from $1,700 to $1,300.
“Ten percent of your gross should pay your rent,” she said. “I was paying sometimes 30% to 40%.”
Violett Consignment has occupied three different locations since the store opened in May 2023. Glaeser has continuously looked for a location that is both affordable and the right size for her business.
“It’s like Goldilocks,” she said. “The first place was too small. The second place was too big. This place is just right.”
Other business owners have also struggled to find a location large enough to fit their growing needs.
Tommy Stuart, owner of Tommy’s Arcade, wants to expand to offer food, wine, and beer, along with arcade games. However, he said, the size of his current building is too small to accommodate food operations.
If he doesn’t find a larger building to relocate to by June, Stuart plans to close down the arcade.
“I knew when I rented this building, I would outgrow it,” he said. “But there is a lack of places to grow into.”
“There’s no guarantee that you will be able to stay in a spot.” -Sheila Glaeser
There are very few buildings available for business to rent downtown, Logan said. There are rarely more than two unoccupied storefronts at one time.
“It’s really hard to find a spot downtown,” Glaeser said. “We are pretty much at capacity.”
Amid the shuffle of businesses, some store owners are also concerned about being forced to relocate due to changes in building ownership, according to Glaeser.
Pumpkinseeds, a local boutique, will be moving to 14 W. Washington St. by March 31 after anchoring the corner of Main and Washington streets for over 25 years. The store was forced to relocate after 1 N. Main St. was purchased by the owner of The Georges in November 2024, according to Pumpkinseeds owner Siobhan Deeds.
“There’s no guarantee that you will be able to stay in a spot,” said Glaeser. “It’s in the back of everyone’s mind now.”