New business concept coming to Clarion

Two longtime buildings along Main Street in Clarion will soon be cleared away — the former Dan Smith’s Candy store and the former Paul A. Weaver Jewelry store — but a new concept in downtown development and community sustainability is planned for this summer.

Clarion Modern Markets will be a space for local farmers and artisans to sell their goods as well as an area for up-and-coming artists and entrepreneurs to sell their wares. The area, at 606 and 610 Main St., will also host public and private events.

The property is owned by the Cherico family — Fred and Kim and their children Nick, Ava and Luca. The family bought the building earlier this spring from their uncle, Dr. Victor Cherico.

Since then, the family has been at work researching and planning ideas for the space. They originally planned to renovate the buildings and introduce new businesses and community concepts at the location.

“For three months, we have conducted a bottom-up examination of both of the buildings with a primary goal to revitalize,” Nick Cherico wrote on a newly published website: clarionmodernmarkets.com. “Our family values the preservation of the Clarion identity whether that be the recognizable streetscape of Main Street or the palpable spirit of the community that runs through it.”

Nick Cherico wrote his family talked to former tenants, neighbors and local historians, pointing out his family — which has owned Computer Support along South Fifth Avenue for decades — is joining the “main street” community for the first time.

“We have also sought guidance and advice from experienced contractors,” he wrote. “From these experts’ collective perspective, it was determined that both buildings would have extensive rehab requirements that were well above our family budget.”

The estimates for just the foundation work needed to ensure the stabilization of the buildings were upwards of $150,000.

“That’s not including any remodeling efforts to update the (upstairs) apartments in both buildings,” Luca Cherico noted. “It blew out our family budget. We did a full stop and re-evaluation and we had to re-tool our efforts into something that would cover the mortgage.

“We are a family with a main street budget, not the backing of a Wall Street or a real estate investment firm.”

Nick Cherico also noted with inflation and supply-line issues affecting nearly everything involved with a renovation, the family decided to tear down the old and deteriorating buildings.

“That will make room for our fresh idea at this centrally-located space in the heart of the town we call home,” he wrote. “Clarion Modern Markets.”

The markets

On the website, Nick Cherico said the idea for Modern Markets might have actually been planted with the family during vacations trip to areas where the small markets concept is already proving successful.

He said his family has seen how current economic challenges, including the competition from online retail giants like Amazon, prevent small, independent businesses from opening brick-and-mortar storefronts.

“In our local area, pop-up shops have been rising in popularity whether on Main Street or during festivals occurring throughout the county,” Nick Cherico wrote. “Our vision is to provide a space for these pop-up shops to establish a footing within the local economy and the ability to move into more permanent locations by connecting with local realtors who have buildings for sale.”

He said the building plan for Modern Markets includes rentable space for tent-like, pop-up shops as well as permanent buildings for vendors to occupy.

“We also see the need to provide entertainment space that can host musicians and other events such as one-hour educational shows and home-ec classes to allow local people to enjoy and celebrate in their own backyard,” Ava Cherico wrote.

To start, Fred Cherico said the family anticipates the site will house three permanent shops and space for seven to 10 pop-up shops.

“We also want this space to be welcoming and inviting for families to bring their children so we plan to have various areas for seating to create that ‘back-porch’ neighbor feeling,” Ava Cherico wrote.

Clarion Borough Council President Carol Lapinto said she believes Clarion Modern Markets will bring exciting opportunities to the downtown area.

“It’s something different and unique,” she said. “I haven’t seen all the details yet, but it will change the streetscape and that’s exciting. It could be a nice destination stop for people passing through town.”

Staying connected

“We completely understand many people share a nostalgic connection with the buildings, whether it is a memory of buying jewelry from Paul Weaver in the former jewelry store or simply looking at them on your drive through town,” Nick Cherico said. “We completely get that — but it is our hope we can create a new space that allows for the next generation of memories and most importantly, the next generation of business.”

Ava Cherico said, “Our family has ties to the building site as our great-grandparents operated the Modern Store there from 1938 to 1968, so deciding to raze both the buildings was not a decision that was made lightly.

“There were many heated kitchen-table discussions about the building prospects because of the connection these structures have on the identity of Main Street.”

Luca Cherico agreed the decision was difficult.

“When we got the news (of the potential renovation costs), it was the rug being pulled out from underneath us because our intention was to do a top to bottom remodel,” he said. “But with all those estimates and all the other expenses based on current conditions of the entire structures, we were driven to demolition.”

The buildings had been for sale to the public for an extended period of time.