Businesses struggling on Cornwall Avenue

Cornwall Avenue, located in downtown Bellingham, has not been thriving with business recently, said Brianne Beets social media intern at The Downtown Bellingham Partnership.  The high turnover of stores has The Downtown Bellingham Partnership worried.  They moved from Cornwall Avenue to Magnolia Street Jan. 9. Beets said many businesses, like The Partnership, have come and gone from Cornwall Avenue and it has become slow to foot traffic. 

            ModSock, a sock boutique, opened at 1323 Cornwall Ave. Dec. 10, but had its grand opening event Feb. 11.  Owner Urania Shaklee moved from New York, where she owns another sock store, The Purple Doorknob, to open a second sock store. 

            “I knew businesses had not been successful here, but this is not my first retail store,” she said.

Shaklee chose ModSock’s location because the space was available and a was good size for a store with a small inventory.  She said she has noticed the vacancies on Cornwall Avenue. especially on the 1300 block.

            “The buildings are really big,” Shaklee said.  “What kind of business is going to open during a recession in such a big space?”

            Shaklee said she wishes the empty buildings would fill because it would attract more people to Cornwall Ave. and make it easier for the small businesses, such as ModSock, to thrive.

            Despite the vacancies, Shaklee is determined to succeed with her sock business. 

            “I like to accept the challenge,” she said.

            Shaklee said she uses marketing techniques to promote ModSock such as using of Facebook and Twitter, and she also draws arrows to her store with sidewalk chalk.

            “Advertising can be expensive, so it is all about getting creative when it comes to bringing in clientele,” she said.

            Shaklee’s favorite way to attract customers is to put someone in her sock-monkey costume and have them stand on Cornwall Avenue to get attention from people passing by.

            “I think there is a critical mass of businesses on other streets,” she said.  “Railroad is a downtown hotspot.”

            However, Shaklee believes she has something for everyone with her sock boutique. 

            “Everyone needs socks,” Shaklee said.

            ModSock has a variety of socks, all of which are under $30.  Shaklee said her fair price points appeal to people in Bellingham.

            The most popular socks are the graphics socks, which are covered with everything from farm animals to strips of bacon.

            Shaklee is determined to stay open and does not plan on moving from Cornwall Avenue. 

            “I’m not disappointed,” she said.  “I find it sustainable and my business will keep growing.”

            Evolve Body Jewelry employee Neil Slack noticed Cornwall Avenue gets less attention than other downtown streets such as Railroad Avenue.

            “People are only using Cornwall for parking and as a throughway,” Slack said.

            The piercing and body jewelry store opened at 1307 Cornwall Ave. last Oct. and had a slower start than Slack would have liked, but has begun to pick up. 

            “We’ve gone from sitting around not doing anything to having lots of clientele,” Slack said.

            Like Shaklee, Slack and other Evolve employees use creative marketing tactics to bring in business, such as using Facebook and Twitter.  Also, Evolve will have a promotional ad and coupon in Western’s Blue Book that is handed out to students in the beginning of every quarter. 

Word of mouth is the best way of getting new clients, said Slack.  He encourages people to tell their friends and family about Evolve and gives them more information through handing out fliers with the store hours and address. 

Slack said the 1300 block of Cornwall Avenue particularly seems to be slow.  He has noticed businesses going in out and of business. 

“I have also noticed that everyone who walks by has a brown paper bag,” Slack said.  “It seems the dispensary is the booming business on Cornwall [Avenue].”

Last April, a Northern Cross medical marijuana co-op opened at 1311 Cornwall Ave. 

Across the street from the dispensary, Life’s a Party opened at 1306 Cornwall Ave.  Formerly Johnson’s Flower Shop, Life’s a Party is an event oriented floral store.  Owner K.C. Kippenbrock has not yet had a grand opening for Life’s a Party, but is doing business while still unpacking her store.  She said she has noticed an increase in foot traffic on Cornwall Avenue and is happy with her store’s location.

“We wanted to be downtown and this space was the right size for a good price,” Kippenbrock said.

Kippenbrock uses similar marketing tactics as Shaklee and Slack, including promoting her business through Facebook, but in addition she works closely with The Bellingham Chamber of Commerce.  This spring she will be attending their business expo to further promote Life’s a Party.