Tony Redelback, owner of Games Music, stands in front of his Ross St. business and a smashed in window from a break-in earlier this month. (rdnewsNOW/Josh Hall)

By Josh Hall (rdnewsNOW)

Downtown Red Deer

Another downtown Red Deer business calls it quits after break-in

Dec 23, 2019 | 6:57 AM

Another business in downtown Red Deer is closing up shop.

Games Music, which has operated downtown since the late 80s, announced Thursday they had been the victim of a break-in, and that the incident was the last straw.

Owner Tony Redelback believes the downtown is salvageable, but he’s lost faith that the City of Red Deer and the Downtown Business Association (DBA) can figure it out.

“Last week was the first time I’ve ever met the executive director of the DBA. Until two years ago, I didn’t know what the DBA was. It was just another tax bill. We never saw any of their literature, or had them come into our business,” says Redelback, who adds that more interaction with the DBA would go a long way.

“We used to do half a million in sales and had five full-time employees. If we do $15,000 a month now, that’s a miracle.”

Previously on the corner of Gaetz Ave. and 52 St., Games Music relocated to Ross Street last May.

Redelback says whether the City approved them or not, having so many social services in the area was inevitably going to cause issues.

“I didn’t realize this street is so dead and that the DBA does so little to help. It’s going to take someone doing the hard thing, and it’s going to upset some people,” he says. “People say they’re afraid to come downtown, and there are people who say they don’t know why others are so scared. Both are right. Perception is the biggest part; that is what keeps people from coming down here.”

“We recognize that we do need to make some changes, but we do have to care for our vulnerable populations,” says City Manager Allan Seabrooke, who shares that he lives downtown.

“The agencies we have do have to be somewhere. The proliferation of those all in one area is certainly not what we’d like to see, but some of the decision-making is not fully in our control. We are making strides to address it.”

The decision by Games Music to close comes just days after Hudsons Canada’s Pub announced it will be closing its downtown location next weekend.

Seabrooke admits the continuing loss of business is very concerning, pointing to the extended recession as a leading factor.

“Because Red Deer is so reliant on the oil and gas sector, it’s been very challenging for many businesses. It takes time to transition a downtown revitalization to where it needs to be … and the harder economic times are really affecting the advancement of that,” he says.

“What we really need in our downtown is more residential activity and more activities to bring people beyond 4:30 p.m. into the core.”

The City has several current and pending initiatives, including downtown development grants for facade improvements, a utility connection fee grant, more downtown police officers, and Land Use Bylaw changes related to parking requirements and clustering. Events at the Gary W. Harris Celebration Plaza, the Ross St. Patio, seasonal lightings, and increased debris cleanup are other initiatives, Seabrooke notes, which have encouraged a healthier downtown.

“We absolutely do see businesses as vulnerable as well,” says Seabrooke, responding to Redelback questioning use of the phrase ‘most vulnerable.’

“We are changing things and have looked at our structures to make dealing with the City easier. We absolutely value our businesses, and what has been going on is no reflection on what we as administration and what council believes is important to our businesses. Red Deer is open for business.”

Lisa Spencer-Cook, owner of LV’s Vinyl Cafe on Ross St., says she doesn’t feel unsafe downtown.

“Since they opened the overdose prevention site, I no longer see anybody on my doorstep,” she noted. “When I first opened in Nov. 2017, I’d see people shooting up. We need to help our most vulnerable … but I’m not naive; it does deter people from coming downtown.”

Spencer-Cook says they’ve contacted the DBA and City a few times with marketing and other suggestions, but that they haven’t received any help.

The DBA is an organization wholly separate from the City of Red Deer. City council approves the DBA’s budget every year, but any levy collected by the DBA does not go into municipal coffers.

“The closing of businesses, I wouldn’t say its a normal activity. They do (close) for many reasons,” Seabrooke said when asked about DBA executive director Amanda Gould’s comments to rdnewsNOW earlier this week.

Gould downplayed the closing of Hudsons, stating that it’s just natural turnover, and that it doesn’t raise any red flags.

In a follow-up statement to rdnewsNOW, Gould says, “Any closure of business is a loss for downtown. Times are tough right now in downtown Red Deer, the city and central Alberta. It’s important to remember downtown Red Deer as a destination for shopping. We have a great selection, you can grab a coffee as you walk around, and most importantly, you will be supporting local business.”