Downtown revival, "hot" market and Missoula’s reputation speak to district’s future

The vacancy rate in downtown Missoula hovered north of 20 percent seven years ago, still better than peer cities hit hard by the recession. The shuttered Mercantile sat at the heart of it, along with a smattering of other empty retail spaces.

But with the economic rebound in full swing and Missoula on the map of best places to live, that double-digit vacancy rate has closed to roughly 5 percent. Several new businesses are heading to the Merc’s successor, and as many as 40 new businesses will have opened downtown this calendar year.

By Martin Kidston

https://www.missoulacurrent.com/business/2018/09/downtown-missoula-revival/

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The MEDA Unconference – 9/19-21 – Missoula http://www.matr.net/events.phtml?showdetail=7041