Shopping centers, hit hard during the recession, are coming back to life in Southern Nevada

Danielle McCrea / Special to VEGAS INC

Sergio Montegrande is planning to open an Italian restaurant at the District at Green Valley Ranch, which has seen an increase in foot traffic since opening a road to vehicular traffic that once was restricted to pedestrians.

The recession was rough on Las Vegas’ commercial retail centers. The District at Green Valley Ranch and Town Square struggled. Tivoli Village encountered construction delays and a slow start.

Today, however, the three centers are thriving. Changes management made to accommodate the downturn and adjust to a new normal in the recovery have been fruitful.

Town Square opened in 2007 with 38 tenants; today, there are more than 125 stores and restaurants in the complex. It recently landed a major tenant, SolarCity, to fill a large share of office space and added several restaurants that double as nightlife spots — Double Helix, a wine bar, and McFadden’s, an Irish pub and restaurant, for instance.

“During the recession, one thing that became apparent was the need to create a unique experience,” said Jaimesen Mapes, Town Square’s marketing director. “When consumers were scaling back on purchases, we saw there was still a need for a gathering place.”

Businesses such as Artsy Nannies, a children’s boutique and baby-sitting service, have helped make Town Square the community gathering place managers strived for, a strategy that’s also working at the District in Henderson and Tivoli Village near Summerlin.

“We have 350 moms in our mommy groups,” Artsy Nannies owner Andrea Vallee said. “They come here to make friends, to do something fun with their kids and to enjoy (Town Square).”

At the District, business are reaping benefits from a 2013 overhaul that converted a pedestrian thoroughfare to a two-way street with parking. The section adjacent to Green Valley Ranch Resort is at 85 percent capacity, and the part east of Green Valley Parkway is at 98 percent .

“There’s a vibrancy and energy to it that wasn’t there before,” said Kimberly Daskas, director of marketing at Vestar, co-owner of the District. “The road has opened up visibility for merchants along the main street and side street. We’ve had consumers say they’ve now experienced stores and restaurants they before didn’t know were there.”

“We couldn’t be happier with where the District is right now,” said Sergio Montegrande, who plans to open Bella Vita Italian restaurant in the District in April.

Pinot’s Palette, a “paint and sip” arts and crafts center that offers painting classes and wine, opened in the District six months ago. First-time business owners Reed and Judy Alewel said they have seen incredible results, which they attribute to the location.

“If we’d been in another spot, we’d have had to do a lot more marketing,” Reed Alewel said. “You can’t beat the foot traffic and the beauty of the location. At night, the paintings just light up. People stop and stare from outside the window.”

Since opening, Pinot’s Palette has had 5,000 customers, more than double what the owners expected. The couple recently signed a lease on a second location at Boca Park.

Across town, Tivoli Village is undergoing an expansion, building its second phase after years of delays.

Jeff White Custom Jewelry is one of the original tenants since opening day in 2011.

“We’re a destination business; we don’t get a lot of window shoppers,” owner Danny White said. “It’s nice for (customers) to be able to go get a cup of coffee or a meal while they think over their purchase or get their jewelry serviced.”

Restaurant, bar and butcher Echo & Rig has been at Tivoli since 2013. The family-run enterprise was the only off-Strip business to win an award at the recent Nightclub and Bar Show, taking home the gold for Best Bar and Restaurant.

Through philanthropy and with a small-town, neighborhood-style butcher shop feel, Echo & Rig owners aim to build a sense of community, director of guest relations Sheryl Best said.

“When you’re a new business, you have to give back to let people know you’re here and who you are,” Best said. “We see people four to five times a week, visiting the butcher shop to get a cut of meat for dinner, for a business lunch the next day, and then coming back on the weekend for Sunday brunch with the family.”

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