Becker Avenue building has new life as retail, office space

WILLMAR -- A downtown building that sat almost empty for five years has new life after a Willmar businesswoman purchased it.

Beverly Dougherty loves 1950s design and had always admired the brick and block glass building at 414 Becker Ave. S.W.

Built by Vinje Lutheran Church in 1953 as an educational center, the building has seen several uses over the years, including the Red Ruby Dinner Theatre, the Willmar Senior Citizens Center and Lutheran Social Services.

Vinje built a new church on Willmar Avenue in 1963 and the old church was demolished, according to the Kandiyohi County Historical Society. But the educational center remained.

"I just fell in love with the building," Dougherty said. "It was amazing to me that it just sat like this for a long time."

When Dougherty decided to buy it at the end of July, only two front offices were being rented. The rest of the building was "pretty much a disaster," she said. The ceilings had fallen down and the floors and walls were in need of repair.

She invested $65,000 in replacing the ceiling and flooring, repainting the walls and redoing the lighting and wiring. She also added stained glass windows to the front door, an awning and outdoor seating.

Along with her business, FabricSource and Buy Design, there are six other businesses renting space in the building and there is room for three more renters.

Dougherty's business, a textiles and home décor store and interior design service, had been at the downtown Centre Point Mall for about two years. After she purchased the building, Dougherty said people cautioned her about moving there because it isn't a traditional retail space.

But customer traffic has doubled since her move, she said. Several people stop in because they're curious about the building itself or they see store products in the building's many windows, she said.

She said travelers from Canada came in as they were passing through town and told her, "We had to see what was in here because it's so pretty on the outside."

Dougherty admits she had some sleepless nights after buying the building. The previous owners, investors from Minneapolis, had problems renting it and she wondered if she could be successful.

Her goal was to be in the black by Jan. 1. She's beat that goal by two months, she said.

"So I can sleep now," she said with a laugh.

A fellow Centre Point Mall renter was Dougherty's first new tenant on Oct. 1. Barb Youngberg, who owns Youngberg Digital Productions LLC, decided to move into the building after hearing Dougherty had purchased it.

Youngberg said she has been happy with the move and spoke highly of the other tenants, which include a marketing company, a human resources service and attorneys.

"All the people in the building have just a lot of creative energy," she said.

Ranae Rahn, co-owner of Becker & Fifth Marketing and Project Management, said she loves the building and its atmosphere. The businesses refer their clients to each other. She uses Youngberg's video production services when doing event planning packages for her clients.

"It's so nice to be able to have like-minded businesses here," Rahn said.

Tenant Tracy Mullin, a new Willmar resident who moved her business MTM Performance Solutions Inc. here, also talked about the building's energy. She provides programs and ideas to companies to help them with hiring, development and retaining employees.

"This is so much fun," Mullin said. "These guys are really great."

Dougherty said her goal was to create a cooperative atmosphere among the tenants. They share a kitchen and copier and are discussing hiring a receptionist together.

The building can also provide some entertainment opportunities. A gallery on the top floor is available to rent for events or parties. With Dougherty's interior design expertise, the room has a modern, yet comfortable vibe. But the real stars of the room are the windows that span three of its walls.

Dougherty uses the room four times a year for trunk shows of the Juliana Collezione clothing line out of New York. During the shows, women can make appointments to try on clothes and place their orders.

The lower level, which was home to the Red Ruby in the 1990s, is also still available. Dougherty envisions a restaurant and wine bar there, but it's open to other uses as well.

Dougherty said she's happy with the mix of businesses in the building and the community they've created.

"I'm very pleased with it," she said.