It didn’t take long to fill two of three high-profile vacancies in Winnipeg’s trendiest neighbourhood.
Little Goat Food & Drink, a new restaurant and lounge, is putting the finishing touches on the former Black Rabbit Bistro & Lounge space in Osborne Village while Anytime Fitness is preparing to christen a 4,000-square-foot gym in the space formerly occupied by American Apparel in August.
That leaves just the empty Desart Gift and Accessories location in the middle of the “Village” without a signed tenant.
Bryn Oliver, vice-president with the Winnipeg office of Colliers International, said he’s not worried about finding a tenant for the approximately 4,000-square-foot space because there was lots of interest in the other two.
“It’s reasonable to be optimistic for the Desart space and any other space that becomes available in the Village,” he said.
Tenants and potential tenants are attracted to the multi-family and residential density, which is some of the highest in the city, as well as the high pedestrian and vehicle traffic counts, he said.
Indeed, Osborne Village has more than 20,000 people living within a one-kilometre radius and nearly 36,000 vehicles pass by the intersection of Osborne Street and River Avenue every day.
A wide variety of tenants is another selling point as Osborne Village boasts both national and local businesses as well as long-term operators who have been there for decades.
A further selling feature is the nearby bus rapid transit station, which connects the neighbourhood with the University of Manitoba to the south.