Retailer has a vision for downtown Syracuse

Ten years may not seem like a long time by the standards of the antiques trade, but it's a long time in the latest incarnation of Syracuse's Armory Square. Since Bruce Block opened The Antique Underground 10 years ago at 247 West Fayette St., he not only has seen many changes take place but also has been an integral part of them. Mirroring Armory Square's success, Block's own store recently expanded out of the basement into an additional 3,000 square feet of street-level floor space.

The business model for The Antique Underground combines a talent for networking with a talent for numbers. Whereas many antique stores sell items on a consignment basis, Block says he only operates that way for special, one-of-a-kind items, such as an art-deco collection a end left him. "Underground," Block explains, "is used in the sense of a network,"--for which reason the store's name will remain unchanged. The Antique Underground is, in effect, a consortium of antiques vendors, organized and managed by Block. Although Block owns the second-largest retail establishment in downtown Syracuse (the largest being Smith Restaurant Supply), "There are actually more than 40 stores in here," he explains.

Antiques vendors lease space within the Antique Underground's 11,000 square feet of space. One vendor leases a 400-sq.-ft. space, while some others lease a single display cabinet. The largest amount of floor space, about 20 percent, is occupied by Block's own wares. "This concept," Block says, "is the least expensive way for someone to start an antiques business." Vendors in the consortium pay between $100 and $500 a month to lease space within The Antique Underground. "For that," Block says, "I pay all the bills, do the advertising, pay the taxes, provide management, plus 48 hours of manpower a week." Block also manages the store's Web site. Vendors in the consortium are required to spend 16 hours a month behind the counter.

An erstwhile professional dancer, Block had limited success for two years with his first Syracuse store, B.I. Block's. He'd learned the trade while selling antiques from a friend's barn during his summers. "I learned by trial and error," Block says. "Studying and books is all fine, but the market is so specific, based on geography and time period. What's popular today may not be popular tomorrow. You've got to do it just by being involved in the business." Block admits to finding it difficult, at times, to part with pieces that he really likes. "I didn't make money at this overnight," Block confides, adding, "The current store idea is when I first started to make money."

The consortium concept also helps Block offer a wide variety of items at little financial risk to himself. He's justifiably proud of his store's studio-pottery, jewelry, art-glass, and mission-oak collections. "We offer the right combination of products in a way that suits today's market," Block says. "We have items for just a few dollars, as well as items that cost thousands of dollars. It's a department-store replacement with a mom-and-pop attitude."

Block's success is attributable as much to his business sense as it is to his social sense--understanding what his customers want, not just from him, but from downtown as a whole. Block combines these instincts in his role as chairperson of the downtown retail steering council, a position he has volunteered in for the past five years. The retail steering council assists the Downtown Committee with program development. Block's experience as a retailer in downtown Syracuse gives him an informed historical perspective on how far the area has come, and the direction in which it ought to be headed.

As far back as 1984, Block says, he and many others could envision a vibrant city atmosphere developing in Syracuse. Although signs of decay were all around (and remain very much in evidence), downtown denizens of that era were to a large extent an artist's community, according to Block. "They had sort of a hippie view of cities," he explains. They were willing to overlook the run-down aspects because of the charm they did see. Block mentions with affection the businesses that have come and gone--Odd Infinitems, the Packing House Row Cafe, On the Rise bakery...

These early visionaries wanted, firstly, to support retailers; they also wanted to get people living downtown, to renovate buildings with respect to their historical nature, and work toward making the area "hustle and bustle." "These people formed an association and managed to get Armory Square registered as a historic site. Many of them suffered rather than profit from their efforts," Block recalls.

As retail steering council chair, Block continues to experience tensions between competing interests. He notes that an excess of bars would conflict with the goal of promoting residential living downtown. Similarly, ground-floor office space can only be bought at the expense of ground-floor retail space. In the end, Block clearly prefers many residences rather than many bars, and ground-floor shops rather than offices. "The ground floor sets the tone for the street," Block declares. "There should be tax incentives to promote retail outlets on street level. The survival of the city is based on the survival of the retailer." Nearby office buildings have a high occupancy late and command high rents, in Block's opinion, because of the proliferation of retail outlets in Armory Square.

"Retail and residential development is very important," Block continues. "The Dome Hotel renovation [for conversion to residential space] is a step in the right direction. Now we need to find a way to get even some of the smaller buildings to provide residential space over them." In terms of retail, Block is a vocal proponent of a year-round downtown farmers' market as one way to replace such traditional downtown retail anchors as department stores. "We need people with special skills to guide the vision for downtown," Block concludes. "Specialists in architecture, for example. And these people should be local, or have a very good idea of what local needs are."

Copyright Central New York Business Journal Dec 23, 1996
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved