GLENDALE – The City of Glendale is ready to build on the success of its award-winning Artsakh Creative retail program, which helps small business owners grow into brick-and-mortar stores. The program provides free rent to qualifying retail businesses for six months in City-owned units located on the Artsakh Paseo. The benefit for the City lies in qualifying retailers enhancing Glendale’s vision for an Arts & Entertainment District, with Artsakh Avenue at its heart, featuring a concentration of arts, cultural, and entertainment venues, retailers, and programming.
“We’re looking for a diverse and vibrant mix of product and artistic-based businesses who want to test their concepts and new products. It can be challenging for entrepreneurs to attract new customers and build market share, as well as deal with all the costs associated with building a business. By offering free rent and promotional support, these businesses gain an advantage creating their success,” said Soua Vang, Deputy Director of Economic Development.
The program was founded in 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when many small businesses were struggling to survive. Since then, it has been recognized by the California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) and the American Planning Association (APA) for its innovative approach to helping launch new businesses. Glendale’s Economic Development Team has provided best practices and toolkits to economic development teams in Long Beach, West Hollywood, Santa Clarita, and Ontario looking to replicate this program in their communities.
The City has two 975 square foot vacant storefront sites available at 117 and 131 North Artsakh Avenue as part of its accelerator program. The new businesses would join existing businesses such as The Glendale Room comedy club and Paperback Brewing Company. Paperback celebrated the opening of their Artsakh tasting room earlier this summer, marking their second location in the community.
According to The Glendale Room Founder, Sean Casey, the Artsakh Creative program provides an amazing opportunity to develop a unique arts and nightlife destination for the community. “The support and guidance from the City is instrumental in jumpstarting a full calendar of live events and activations. We are forever grateful to this program and the people running it. If you’re a creative entrepreneur you know that all you need is a shot, a chance to bring your vision to life. The Artsakh Creative program provides that in a vibrant retail environment unique across the Southland.”
Paperback Brewing Company Co-Founder Chris Cesnek added, “The Artsakh Creative program has been a wonderful experience for Paperback Brewing Company. The City’s support in growing local small businesses and raising awareness in the community is an invaluable resource.”
Applications will be accepted from August 5 through August 16, 2024. The City’s goal is to move the selected retailers into their new storefronts by the start of the holiday shopping season around November 28, 2024. We are looking for an established business concept, with sufficient funding to move into a City-owned unit and open in a 4–6-week timeframe. Some examples of potential uses are specialty food and retail shops that can include cheese, wine, olive oil, jewelry, clothing, gift, antique or hand and body/beauty shops, art galleries, fitness studios, education, and performance spaces. Interested retailers can submit their applications online here.
