Woman’s Exchange plans expansion — again

When the Woman’s Exchange planned to expand its operations along Rawls Avenue, it sparked a battle with neighbors that jeopardized the consignment shop’s future in the area.

A year later, the Woman’s Exchange is planning to expand its operations along Orange Avenue. This time, it seems to have found a proposal that satisfies all parties involved.

The Woman’s Exchange announced this week it plans to purchase the neighboring Short Stop Market property, located at 521 S. Orange Ave. On Tuesday, the Short Stop Market announced it would close at the end of June.

Although the Woman’s Exchange had recently explored the possibility of leaving its 539 S. Orange Ave. home, the purchase of the Short Stop Market underscores the store’s commitment to its long-time Burns Court location. 

Woman’s Exchange CEO Karen Koblenz said the nonprofit plans to merge the two properties, using the Short Stop property for loading and furniture storage. The Woman’s Exchange is working with a planner to reconfigure the layout of the business.

“We’re really happy to be able to stay and that we were given an opportunity to purchase the Short Stop and expand,” Koblenz said. “It’s a good thing for us.”

“We’re really happy to be able to stay.” — Karen Koblenz

The Short Stop Market, located on the edge of the Burns Court and Laurel Park neighborhoods, has been in business since 2001. A convenience store has operated at its Orange Avenue home since the 1960s.

Owner Ali Molavi said it was a bittersweet decision, but the downtown real estate environment created an enticing opportunity to sell the property.

“We want to thank everyone for their loyalty and their patronage throughout the 15 years,” Molavi said. “We’ve definitely formed a lot of friendships — not just customers.”

Although a sale is not final yet, the property has an assessed value of $603,000, according to the Sarasota County Property Appraiser. It last sold for $500,000 in early 2002.

On March 3, the city received building permit applications for both the Short Stop Market and Woman’s Exchange properties. Those permit applications call for the partial demolition of the wall between the two properties, replacing the removed portion with a garage door.

The plans also add customer parking in front of the Short Stop building and employee parking behind it on Rawls Avenue. The city issued the building permit for both properties April 7.

After an earlier proposal to expand the Woman’s Exchange proved contentious, city staff said feedback to these plans has been positive.

“It seems it might be one of those win-wins that will hopefully keep the Woman’s Exchange where it is and satisfy the neighbors,” said Tim Litchet, the city’s director of Neighborhood and Development Services.

“It seems it might be one of those win-wins.” — Tim Litchet

Originally, the Woman’s Exchange wanted to build a new structure for furniture storage at 526 Rawls Ave., including a loading area for larger items. Although city staff initially approved the proposal, the Laurel Park Neighborhood Association appealed that decision.

In April 2016, the City Commission reversed staff’s ruling, rejecting the plans for expansion onto Rawls.

The Woman’s Exchange unsuccessfully challenged the commission’s decision in court. Although the previous proposal turned into a hot topic, Laurel Park residents say they’re satisfied with the latest plans.

Alice Sundstrom, president of the Laurel Park Neighborhood Association, said she’s sad to see the Short Stop leave. Considering the possibility of the Woman’s Exchange moving, though, she’s hopeful the shop has found a plan that works for everybody.

“We’re actually very happy they’ve been able to find a solution that both meets their needs while maintaining the safety of those using Rawls,” Sundstrom said. “We’re glad to see they’re going to be able to stay in their current location.”