DARTMOUTH – Sarah Kingston opened her clothing boutique seven months ago. When she was looking for a location, one spot stood out: Dartmouth’s downtown.
“We knew that there was a lot of growth in this area and that there wasn’t a lot of shopping options, so we wanted to get on board with that,” the owner of Room 152 said.
Room 152 is just one of a number of new businesses to open up shop in Dartmouth recently. In the past year, 18 new businesses have opened or relocated to downtown Dartmouth.
“It’s all independent and unique businesses. People taking their own kind of character and bringing it into their stores,” says Tim Rissesco, Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission.
Rissesco says there’s a buzz around Dartmouth right now.
“The different businesses support one another. There’s a lot of cross promotion and cross referring customers to one another, particularly for young entrepreneurs. It’s a nurturing environment to be part of the downtown right now.”
Next month, Tanessa Holt will open her new retail space. One of the reasons she chose Dartmouth was its affordability.
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“I think the rent is really reasonable and I think that people are just really starting to become aware that there is space in Dartmouth,” Holt told Global News.
Stacey Cayea owns the candy boutique Sugar Shok, and says Dartmouth’s downtown is a tight knit area.
“There’s a huge sense of community down here and it’s fun to be part of something that’s growing and making a difference.”
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Sugar Shok actually opened their doors two years ago, but quickly outgrew the space and needed something larger. They turned to the community, and a crowd funding campaign, to help them grow.
“It played a key role in my renovations because every little bit helps when you’re taking something and making it into something fabulous,” Cayea said.
Many business owners agree the stigma around Dartmouth is changing — something that’s good for business.
“Dartmouth isn’t the dark side that everybody thinks it is and there is a lot of really interesting businesses and business people that are working together to bring some noise to Dartmouth,” Holt said.
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