COLUMBIA — Columbia residents are helping determine not only what could replace the Shops at Sharp End, but how the city will choose the next tenant for the downtown space.
City officials met with community members Wednesday at 500 E. Walnut St., Suite 109, where the Shops at Sharp End operated for three years before closing. The city plans to issue a Request for Expressions of Interest, or REOI, inviting potential tenants to propose new uses for the city-owned space.
But before officials publish that request, they are asking residents to help build the rules behind it.
“We've been getting lots of input over the last several months, and so we're bringing that back to everyone tonight to say this is what we've heard thus far,” said Shawna Johnson, the city of Columbia's Engagement Coordinator. “Making sure we didn't miss anything, and then we will start drafting the official request for expression of interest based on tonight's feedback.”
Wednesday's meeting gave attendees a chance to walk through the former retail incubator and review draft language detailing what future applicants would need to know, what they would be asked to submit and how the city could evaluate their proposals.
Johnson said community involvement has extended beyond suggesting possible tenants or business concepts.
“Really, the whole process is being shaped by their input,” Johnson said. “They're saying this is the information we need to know about the space, this is how we would like those proposals to be evaluated. You know, every step of the way is being shaped by community voices.”
What applicants could be asked to provide
The city's draft process would give prospective applicants detailed information about Suite 109 before asking them to submit proposals.
That information would include a description and floor plan of the space, photographs, a virtual tour, parking and access information, utility costs, zoning restrictions and details about equipment and furnishings that would remain.
Officials told attendees Wednesday that some permanent kitchen infrastructure, including the hood system and other attached equipment, belongs to the city and would remain part of the building.
The city is also considering lease terms of up to five years.
Applicants, in turn, could be asked to explain how they would use the space, when they could open, what gap their business or program would fill and how they would measure success.
The draft also asks applicants to provide financial projections, staffing and operating plans, marketing strategies and information about their management experience.
Applicants could propose their preferred lease structure and identify any city assistance they believe would be necessary.
Johnson said officials are not limiting the process to one particular type of business.
“It could be something like a small boutique, it could be a restaurant, it could be a shared workspace,” Johnson said. “Really, anything is on the table at this point.”
City Manager De'Carlon Seewood said the existing layout creates several possibilities. He pointed to the outdoor patio, mezzanine and commercial kitchen infrastructure as features that could support a restaurant, while also leaving room for retail or other concepts.
“I think the opportunities are kind of limitless,” Seewood said.
How proposals could be evaluated
The draft evaluation system reviewed Wednesday would score proposals on a 100-point scale.
Business concept quality and viability would carry the greatest weight at 25 points.
Financial feasibility and operational stability, experience and qualifications, and community and economic benefit would each account for 20 points. Another 15 points would measure the public value created compared with any city assistance requested.
The city is also considering up to 15 bonus points.
A proposal could receive five additional points for demonstrating a connection to Sharp End history or activating its legacy, five for being a minority-owned business enterprise and five for using a multi-partner or collaborative business model.
Those criteria connect the future of Suite 109 to the history surrounding it.
The storefront sits along Walnut Street in the area historically known as the Sharp End, which served as the center of Columbia's Black business community before urban renewal dismantled much of the district.
Seewood said that history should remain part of the conversation as the space changes.
“I think the idea is to honor our history,” Seewood said. “You learn from the things you've done. You learn on how do you move forward, and so having that representation is extremely important.”
The Shops at Sharp End opened in 2023 as a lower-risk retail incubator for minority entrepreneurs. Twenty-four businesses participated in the program during its three-year run.
The storefront was supported through American Rescue Plan Act funding, which carried a three-year limit. Although the physical incubator has closed, organizations including REDI and the Missouri Women's Business Center are continuing to provide business coaching and other resources to participating entrepreneurs.
What happens next
Under the draft timeline, the city would first publish its REOI notice and provide an information session and walk-through for prospective applicants.
Applicants would then have 45 days after the notice is published to submit proposals.
A review panel would evaluate those submissions before inviting applicants to interviews or presentations. After the panel selects a proposal, contract negotiations could take another two to four weeks.
The draft estimates a new tenant could move into Suite 109 approximately four months after the city publishes the request.
The timeline and evaluation system are not yet final. City officials plan to use feedback from Wednesday's discussion to continue drafting the formal request.
For Seewood, the goal is to leave room for the community to define what comes next rather than predetermine the answer.
“It's really an opportunity for citizens to really tell us what they want, for them to shape the future of this space,” Seewood said. “And so I'm excited to see what comes.”
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