Retail Row nets 2 tenants

Two businesses have moved into creative loft offices at Warehouse Row, according to real estate firm Jamestown Properties.

The two new clients, Pilates Chattanooga and Barry Bogo Jewelry, will together occupy about 2,500 square feet in the 330,000-square-foot development, the owners say.

Coleen Carboni, owner of Pilates Chattanooga, moved to Warehouse Row from McCallie Avenue to be downtown, she said Friday.

"A lot of good energy is happening here," Carboni said. "The ambiance is beautiful, it's a nice feel. I like it being old."

Bary Bogo, who manufacturers custom jewelry for customers by appointment, said his motivation has been getting a "more visible space" from which to work and sell.

Jamestown's focus is on delivering "exclusive and niche experiences to the regional community" through specialty retailers and shops like the two new stores, according to Michael Phillips, managing director for Jamestown.

But developers have a hill to climb.

Phillips said Warehouse Row is between 30 percent and 50 percent occupied. Petunia's Silver Jalapeno is the sole choice in the food court for the quick-fix lunch crowd.

Still, Phillips presents a picture of slow improvement over the past two years, calling Chattanooga an "incredibly sophisticated town," and one that deserves chic and style-driven businesses.

And announcements are ahead about other new businesses, especially as the food court becomes a "food hall with purveyors of both cooked food as well as artesian food," he said. "We want to present a side or point of view of Chattanooga that exists and celebrate it in a historic structure."

His wish list for tenants includes graphic and industrial design firms, attorneys and creative firms that could use the Warehouse Row ambiance in their hiring strategies.

"Businesses are drawn to these sorts of historic structures to provide amenities to their work force," he said. "It in turn gives them the edge in hiring best talent because their environment is perceived to be better."

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