New Local Business Hopes to Bring Traffic to Market on State
By: Taylor Nimmo
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Out with the old, In with the new
Ten years ago, Brent Hayes and Tom Parfitt bought the University Mall out of bankruptcy and were able to build the business back up over the years. As online shopping has increased in popularity, malls nationwide have seen declining business. The University Mall, now known as the Market on State, has been working to find ways to create additional traffic flow to keep the business alive.
Calling all Gamers
The mall’s newest store, Super Retro Land, is one of those efforts. Super Retro Land opened in April and sells video games; however, the video games sold at this store were popular on gaming systems decades ago. Super Retro Land provides customers antique games at affordable prices.
This is the second Super Retro Land store to open. After success in the original Parkersburg location, owner Alex Tracewell decided to bring his business to Athens. He said business has soared because he doesn’t have to compete with other popular video game shops such as Game Stop. Instead, they compliment each other.
“What we have they normally don’t and what they have, we normally don’t,” he said. “We feed off of each other a lot more than one would think.”
Tracewell said that Market on State was not his original plan for a location for Super Retro Land, although business has been great in the opening weeks.
“It wasn’t the most convenient spot, or easiest spot or marketable spot, but if you build something good, people are going to go to it regardless of where it’s at.” he said
Business is Booming
Tracewell said he was surprised that business at the Athens location is better than in Parkersburg. He said The Market on State business has benefitted from a lot of hype and business has been constant from the time that it opened.
In addition to the opening of Super Retro Land, Market on State Co-Owner Brent Hayes said the addition of the Ohio Bureau Of Motor Vehicles offices also sparked an increase in traffic. It was added with the goal that people who come in to renew their license, may end up sticking around to shop.
“Typically in malls, you don’t see things like that, but then again, we’re in Athens, Ohio,” Hayes said. “We have to think outside the box a little bit.”
The BMV draws customers to the mall who may not have been initially going to shop.
In addition to Super Retro Land, a Jiu Jitsu academy is expected to be the next business to open.