Wynant's joins downtown upgrade.

Byline: Randi Bjornstad The Register-Guard

SPRINGFIELD - More space and the chance to own instead of leasing their store are two reasons the owners of Wynant's Family Health Foods decided to relocate downtown. But Tamara Daily, who co-owns the business with her mother, Joan Haydn, said there's another important one.

"We want to be part of revitalizing downtown Springfield," Daily said. "There's a lot of improvements happening downtown now that should bring more people there from all over the community, and we think our business can be part of that."

With just-issued building permits in hand, renovation of the space at 722 South A St. should begin within days and probably will take three months, Daily said. When the business opens - in late December or early January - it will join a growing list of businesses that have put their money behind the city's game plan to rejuvenate a downtown area long dominated by secondhand stores and taverns.

By the time they finish, Daily and Haydn will have spent about $500,000 to remodel and expand the building - at various times a car dealership, automotive shop and window covering cleaning establishment - which they bought in December for $340,000.

The relocated store will include not only the homeopathic and herbal remedies it already sells at the leased location at 1859 Pioneer Parkway East, but also organic produce and other health foods.

"We've outgrown our space, and we've had a lot of people asking for organic foods," Daily said. The new store will have 5,500 square feet of retail space, up from 3,600 in the existing store, Daily said.

Assistant City Manager Jeff Towery sees Wynant's move as another positive sign that downtown Springfield is undergoing a renaissance. "It's an exciting opportunity, a chance to get what's been a long-standing local business downtown, where there's more foot traffic both for them and the downtown area," he said.

Other recent downtown additions include the Wildish Community Theater, Emerald Art Center, the Springfield School District's Academy of Arts and Academics, and the Lane Transit District's new bus station and EmX, the district's bus rapid transit service.

Lithia Toyota has completed an extensive renovation of its dealership, and the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lane County is in the final phases of construction of the five-story Royal Building, with ground-floor retail space and 33 apartment units above. Another downtown property owner, Betty Trotter, plans eight apartment units above her restaurant and lounge, called The Office.

"There's lots of stuff in the queue, and it is making a difference," Towery said. "There are subtle changes downtown already, and we're starting to see a lot more inquiries from people interested in bringing businesses downtown."

Daily said financing for the new location will be handled through the locally owned Siuslaw Bank. The business also qualified for $90,000 in federal community development block grants for downtown revitalization and job creation, Towery said.

The grant was unusual, because this funding is typically awarded to nonprofit agencies. But city officials said the store qualified because it would employ low- to moderate-income workers and improve a blighted area.

Wynant's has five employees - three full time and two part time, all family members - but will hire four or five more once the business opens late this year or early in 2008, Daily said.