For a number of years, Royal Plaza Mall in town has been the home of a number of small businesses. How come you ask?
Ownership collaborated with artisans and small entrepreneurs, who rented the upper floors of the pink monstrosity and created successful ventures: A Mushroom Farm, a Body Art Shop, a Handmade Bag Workshop, a Film Studio, Gen-Z and Millennial-type businesses, clustered around BULA surf shop, an iconic local shopping destination, founded in 2003.
The way I see it, the construction of Royal Plaza Mall, an excessively ornate neo-Dutch-Colonial fantasy, contributed to the death of our main street. It took the focal point off shopping on main street, and started shopping areas, two steps from the cruise ship harbour.
The merchant who owned the stores at the head of the main street, on the square, decided to sell his real estate holdings and move his business interests to almost across the cruise ship terminal. He sold, he built, he moved.
The new mall found it impossibly hard to find synergy. Some international retail brands on street level did well, but the other two floors never found their calling. Occasionally, an outlet would shoot to greatness, but then the hype died down, and the excitement fizzled.
Shivas and Tommy did their best to keep the place buzzing, but it was never truly a success.
The defunct ATV, channel 15, occupied large offices on the third floor, but never paid rent.
In recent months, the real estate was bought by the developer of Harbour House, across the way. Harbour House was an abandoned building when taken over by current owners, it now shows promise as a mixed-use building, retail, food outlets, hotel room, a business center and residences.
That’s probably the fate awaiting Royal Plaza Mall, it will be developed into a mixed use hub of activity, but meanwhile it asked all small tenants to vacate. Harbour House offered some of them to move into the available spaces on its first floor, but that would require a 50K investment per, for floor tiles, ceilings, air conditioning, light fixtures, beyond the reach of small entrepreneurs.
I spoke to Tangerine, a much loved boutique business, a 2-human and 2-dogs operation, turning out handcrafted, sturdy canvas bags and accessories, toiletry bags, and a signature We The Beach People Tote Bag. All bags are deeply influenced by traditional nautical styling and the colors of Aruba.
Where would Tangerine go?
According to Ashlin, who sews each piece by hand, he would go nowhere. Home probably. The opportunity for small entrepreneurs simply does not exist. Real estate owners want to tie prospective renters down with long-term contracts, lawyers, penalty clauses, excessive utility rates, and an abundance of small print.
He is going home. Tangerine items will be available at Bula Surf Shop, that is moving to Harbour House and is now busy building interiors. But they have been around since 2003, and are a solid company.
Here’s the catch: Many storefronts along our main street are bordered up, yet an Awg 7,000 rent for a hole in the wall is standard. And owners will not budge. Their world view is narrow. They don’t see the added value.
The Film Studio is also looking for a spot: You probably already heard the news that we need to leave our studio space soon, they sold the Royal Plaza Mall 😞 both us and Tangerine are still looking for an affordable space. But still no luck, no empty building owners are cooperating with us. Such a shame.
I was just speaking with Ashlin, maybe we can use your help and your reach and contacts with an article explaining the current struggles, with extreme high rents for small business like us. So many empty spaces, but the rent prices are crazy.
We are doing a market on Nov 25th as a last event / going away pop up sale. Would be nice if you can pass by 🤗
