Downtown Loveland showing signs of recovery
Three vacant retail spaces along Loveland’s Fourth Street held up as symbols of economic trouble in downtown are nearing lease deals and a sale closing.
Barry Floyd, owner of real estate company Logistic, confirmed Monday that he’s preparing leases for his two most prominent retail spaces in his State Mercantile Building, on the southeast corner of East Fourth Street and Cleveland Avenue.
The properties are at 200 E. Fourth St. and 210 E. Fourth St. and went vacant around the first of the year after businesses leasing the spaces closed, the Sweet Spot on Fourth Street ice cream parlor and Blue Moon Creations gift shop.
Floyd said he expects to sign lease deals soon that will bring a coffee shop and café to 210 E. Fourth St. and a local arts and craft gallery to 200 E. Fourth St.
Loveland resident Wendi Ward is opening the gallery, called Show of Hands, which will feature a variety of arts and crafts in several mediums, as well as various forms of raw fibers, from local artists and farms.
“I want to complement and not compete with the other established businesses in town,” said Ward, who added that she is looking for small or up-and-coming local artists interested in a place to sell their work.
She expects to open sometime next month.
