Maureen (Mo) Sullivan Kinch had been out of real estate for a while when she bought a relatively well-established downstreet gift shop with a fiercely loyal following of returning visitors. Mahalo was (and is) the embodiment of the ‘Unique-Boutique-Magnifique’ shopping experience revitalizing small town destinations throughout the Hudson Valley.
Mo loved what she was doing, but also recognized the opportunity of getting back into a real estate market that was definitely heating up. Customers were continually talking about how much they loved Catskill and the surrounding area, and how they wanted to get a place here and come more often. That’s when Mo’s friend Beth Alfeld (an agent with Coldwell Banker – Village Green Realty) floated the idea of establishing a Catskill presence for her firm inside
the store.
The more she thought about it, the more Mo realized that these ‘two businesses under one roof’ were a natural fit. Time to get her real estate license back.
Originally, Beth & Mo were planning to operate jointly out of the entire 2,400 sq.ft. storefront, but as discussions continued with Joan Lonegan (the owner of Village Green) it became clear that sub-dividing the space was a better solution.
That way, the businesses remained adjacent (sharing a common entryway) yet discrete. Joan’s Village Green presence had expanded throughout the Hudson Valley from its start in Woodstock, and agents regularly worked from multiple offices. They could use a flexible workspace in Catskill that agents could flow in and out of, meeting clients and making calls.
Time to talk to the owner of the building.
Bobby Cargioli had always been a fan of Mahalo. It was a great storefront tenant for his 3-story property on Main Street. He was very receptive to creating two spaces (with two independent leases) to accommodate another
top-flight tenant.
Time to start renovating.
The Plan was to sell off as much inventory as possible and close up shop in the slower season (after the holidays). Renovations would divide the space approximately 60/40 in favor of the gift shop, wall it off, refloor, refurnish, and re-open before Valentines Day (perhaps a bit over-ambitious in hindsight).
Here’s how it went down on Social Media:
With the shop reopened in time for Easter, all that remained was creating the space that would house the realtors…
Time for the Joint Grand (Re)Opening.
So that’s Mo’s Tale of Two Storefronts – Now happily neighbors at 397 Main Street Catskill, NY. The support from the business and resident community has been outstanding, and the both places look (and work) great.
If you want to learn more about how to Make It In Greene, check out our free helpful business guides and contact the Invest In Greene team by email or phone at 518-719-3290.
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Topics: Success Stories
