WHITE BEAR LAKE — Approximately 10 businesses that call the building on Clark Avenue along Highway 61 home will likely have to find a new home if they haven’t already.
The 12,200-square-foot, multitenant retail mall was sold back in September, but many of the tenants have known something was going on for quite some time now.
“We kind of knew something going on because our leases were not renewed by the previous owners,” said Amelia Reigstad, founder of The Women Collective, which moved into the space in September 2024.
Amber Puschinsky, co-owner of Oldies & Goodies, explained that technically, their lease was up last spring. They have been in that space for 2 1/2 years. “They never renewed it for us, so we were waiting and wondering and asking about that,” she said. “It was kind of around September when we were kind of figuring things out … We actually found a listing for our building online.”
According to the online listing, the existing building will be torn down, and a new building will be constructed. Tenants can choose between three suites, which will total 12,230 square feet.
Royce Pavelka, vice president of The Brookshire Company, said he is working with ownership on plans for the building. “Things are still developing,” he said.
City Manager Lindy Crawford said the city doesn’t know anything about the plans for the site and confirmed that no one has submitted an application for redevelopment.
Paully Lundeen, owner of Black Phoenix Tattoo, has rented space in the building since April 2010. He says he tried to meet with the new owners to no avail. About a month ago, he finally heard back and was told he would be given a 30-day notice when he must vacate.
“We were given the option (to stay) if we wanted to lease a space that is probably nine or 10 times the size that we can manage at this point, so it wasn’t really an option unless I wanted to grow the business quite a bit bigger,” Lundeen said.
Reigstad and Puschinsky were also given the option to stay but said the new rent was not feasible. “When we learned what they wanted to charge for the building moving forward, it just wasn’t going to be feasible for our small business to be able to do that,” Puschinsky said. “In the end, it just wasn’t going to work.”
Three of the Clark Avenue business owners are sticking together and are excited to remain neighbors in a new space. The Women Collective, Oldies & Goodies and Black Phoenix Tattoo all plan to move into the White Bear Mall on Third Street, the same building in which Sassafras Health Foods is located.
Puschinsky said they had been keeping their eyes open for a new location since they knew they might have to relocate.
“We were scouring downtown trying to see what was available,” she recalled. “I live downtown, so I want to walk to work. I want to be in the community. I live here. I eat here. I shop here, and I want to have my business here as well … I couldn’t imagine going anywhere else.”
Puschinsky and other owner Emily Blake stumbled upon three vacant spaces in the White Bear Mall. “When we opened the door, Emily and I looked at each other and were like, ‘This is our space.’ It was immediate,” Puschinsky said. “We can really make something out of this space.” They then told Reigstad and Lundeen to go check out the remaining two spaces.
Although there are a lot of unknowns moving into a new space, at least they will be doing it together.
“We’ve spent a lot of time in the building, hanging out with each other, working with each other, doing events with each other. So, it’s nice to know that we’re all going be around still and be able to work with each other,” Puschinsky said. “I’m pretty excited for the new adventure we are going on.”
Oldies & Goodies plans to close sometime in January and be open in time for the Galentine’s Day event downtown Feb. 12.
Reigstad said she’s struggling with the idea of moving, because she loves her current space, but she’s looking forward to being located within an area that generally has more foot traffic.
“I’m just glad I’m able to move with my neighbors and that we were able to find a new spot, because we have all worked so hard and the community has been so welcoming,” Reigstad said. “We have created these wonderful spaces for the community that they purposefully come to. I’m grateful we found a spot so we can continue that work.”
The Women Collective will close around Christmas and reopen in the new space sometime in February.
Lundeen is also optimistic about the move with his neighbors and thankful to still be within downtown.
“I’m from here. I graduated here. I bought my parents’ house … I’ve got kids in school. I like being here,” he said. “It’s a tattoo parlor. I know there’s a stigma to being next to us, so knowing that your neighbors — I’ve tattooed Amber and Amelia — knowing that you can go get along with your neighbors and that three of us moving into a building, it sort of just keeps a steady flow of people.”
Lundeen added that he is looking forward to being more involved with Marketfest. Black Phoenix plans to start moving to the new space in mid-January and be open Feb. 1.