8A, Planning Case 10-008 - Arden Plaza Development Agreement Amend. #1

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----- Forwarded Message ----- From: "Tom Bagan" <tdbagan�usfamily.net> To: sjharpstead�comcast.net Sent: Monday, June 21, 2010 ll:00:35 AM GMT -06:0o US/Canada Central Subj ect: redeveopment of Arden Plaza Dear Mr. Harpstead; I am the owner of Hair Expressions in the Arden Plaza. I am writing in favor of the redevelopment of Arden Plaza. The mall is old and rundown without curb appeal to bring in new customers. The off'ice building on the corner is an eye soar and it's vacancy makes the mall look closed for business. Consumers gravitate to businesses that are thriving and busy. Arden Plaza looks dead most of the time with a vacant old building and small businesses struggling to bring in traffic. The mall is in great need of a facelift and an anchor store for the traffic these create. The mall has had many small businesses not survive due to lack of traff'ic. As a small business owner, I can tell you that it is very expensive to advertise and bring in new clients. Businesses rely on each other for this. We need a larger business in the mall that can afford to advertise and bring in the people to help the small businesses survive. My hair salon has been in the Arden Plaza as long as the mall has been there. Yet people in the community continuously tell us "I never knew you were here and I've lived here for years." W1zy is that? Because Arden Plaza does not have the anchor stores to draw you in. People shop out of convenience and they go to areas they can do it all. At the city meeting I heard residents talk about keeping Arden Hills alive and revamping their downtown. You need to give people a reason to stay in the community; they need restaurants, stores and businesses with a reason to do business there. Please vote for an extension of the redevelopment of Arden Plaza. The community is in great need of it as well as the small businesses. �incerely, D'Ann Bagan Hair Expressions 3551 B Lexington Ave Arden Hills, MN 55126