(Supplied by Monroe Salon Studios)

By David Opinko

Lethbridge business offering rent-free space for retailers shut down

Dec 18, 2020 | 11:11 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – “Help us to help our community.”

A Lethbridge entrepreneur says she wants to do what she can to support businesses that have been forced to close due to the COVID-19 shutdowns.

READ MORE: Alberta re-declares State of Public Health Emergency, new restrictions announced

Tanya Kellington is the founder of Monroe Salon Studios.

Typically, they rent out their 27 studio spaces to independent operators in the health, wellness, and beauty sectors, but since most personal services are not allowed at the moment, she wanted to shift gears by allowing companies to sell their retail products rent-free in those spaces.

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“They can come in and have a pop-up shop, and our hope is that this will stir up some business for them before Christmas and supports them. It’s what we can do during a time where it’s hard – it’s really hard and it’s unfair that there’s no support.”

Currently, most of the businesses already signed up for this are in health, wellness, and beauty, but she has opened it up to others as well.

“They’re all glass storefronts with doors on them, so it won’t be like a pop-up, it’ll be very safe and COVID-compliant. So they’re in their own room and their own space all wiped down and they can run their businesses that way.”

Monroe, along with several other recent startups, has been unable to access government relief programs like the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy due to when they opened.

Kellington explains that, since they did not file a 2019 tax return due to them being so new, they did not qualify for any funding.

“I’m really hoping that the government re-evaluates who comes to this decision and who qualifies because we are stimulating the economy. I’ve brought this new concept into Lethbridge, I’ve stimulated our Lethbridge economy, all of these new businesses have come to life and they’re just getting started, so it’s truly an oversight.”

The lack of federal and provincial support is a major part of why Kellington wanted to launch this initiative.

Several shops already started operating in Monroe Salon Studios and will continue until Christmas.

Companies interested in taking advantage of this can send Kellington a message on the business’ MonroeSalonStudiosYQL Instagram page.