New pop-up shops with local vendors selling handmade items. Families enjoying dinner in new outdoor seating outside local restaurants. A major national retail chain opening their first store. These are the types of things Downtown residents, workers, and visitors will see as a result of new incentives Greater St. Louis, Inc. and the St. Louis Development Corporation have partnered on to attract retail businesses to Downtown St. Louis. 

“Downtown is the heart of the entire St. Louis region. Expanding access to high-quality retail options and supporting downtown businesses is vital to the long-term economic health of the city,” said SLDC’s President and CEO, Neal Richardson.

The incentive package includes four separate components, all targeted to attracting new retail activity and increasing density and vibrancy at street level Downtown:

• Downtown Pop-Ups. Designed to activate pop-up retail shops in vacant storefronts.
• Inside-Out Sidewalk Café Program. Will help Downtown restaurants build aesthetically pleasing outdoor seating or retail displays to encourage more activity at street level.
• Tenant Improvements. Assists new retail establishments with grants for interior and exterior tenant improvements, such as new flooring, lighting, and windows, as well as historical restoration.
• Rent Guarantees. Supports property owners with a rent “backstop” to mitigate their risk and empower them to lease more space to retail establishments.

“Downtown St. Louis is a dynamic market, but it needs more retail activity. The incentives on which we are partnering with SLDC are designed to attract high-quality businesses of all sizes to the heart of the St. Louis metro,” said Kurt Weigle, Chief Downtown Officer for Greater St. Louis, Inc.

Downtown Vibrancy