While the renovations by the new landlord at Olde Andover Village forced some tenants to move, it's business as usual for many other tenants, including Lantern Brunch and CoCo Collection.
"People think we are closed and we are not. We are open," said George Dukas, owner of Lantern Brunch.
Nancy Dube of CoCo Collection, said the post-holiday scene at the downtown retail area, is typical of years past. Sales are happening and it's business as usual, she said.
Some second floor tenants at the Main Street shopping plaza were asked to vacate during renovations and were offered alternative spaces in the complex at higher rents (Townsman, Jan. 12).
At least three tenants moved to other locations in town. Beaven Tutoring moved to Dundee Park after 32 years in Olde Andover Village. Betsey Beaven's holistic food consulting business also moved to Dundee Park.
Today, Thursday, Jan. 26, the Trauma Intervention Program is moving into its new office space at 68 Main St., second floor, above the rear of CVS.
"It's a turn-key space and just beautiful," said Jayan Landry, TIP executive director.
She's turned a "crisis into an opportunity," she said, as she was given 30 days to vacate her second-floor office at Olde Andover Village. Stunned to receive the landlord's notice just after the new year, Landry said she was offered a temporary basement location at Olde Andover Village during renovations.
Tenants affected were all sub-leasing from Peter Beaven of Beaven Associates. Landry said two tenants took up the landlord's offer of alternative office space within the plaza.
Meanwhile, new landlord Lincoln Essex OAV, LLC, is committed to a renovation at Olde Andover Village, which was created in the 1960s. The current plans are to make substantial changes at the site.
Olde Andover Village's new owners, Avison Young, a partnership, bought the site for $7.4 million last September. The business partnership of an undisclosed number of investors includes state Sen. Barry Finegold, Scott Jameson and John Fenton, all of Andover.
