The planned closing of Horizon Books in Traverse City, Mich., "has been put on indefinite hold as owners Amy Reynolds and Vic Herman team up with the Traverse City Downtown Development Authority and Rotary to find new tenants for the building who will help it continue as a vibrant 'third place' for downtown," the Ticker reported. In January, the owners had announced plans to close the flagship location while keeping their store in Cadillac.
DDA board members are holding a virtual meeting this morning to approve accepting a $21,000 grant from Rotary "to fund a study on potential activities and uses for the Horizon Books building," with the DDA adding $5,000 for the study, the Ticker wrote.
"We believe this study will help bring stakeholders together to identify what works, what's needed, and how to make the Horizon Books building viable for its new owner and the community," DDA CEO Jean Derenzy wrote in a memo to board members. "The study will provide an assessment and blueprint for the development of the building that will inform a potential purchaser."
The timing of completing the study will be contingent on the novel coronavirus pandemic. Initial kickoff meetings can be held virtually, but IFF will eventually need to visit Horizon Books to complete its work.
Reynolds told the Ticker that when she announced the store's closing in January, the "community outpouring" that followed convinced the couple to put on the brakes and undertake a thorough search for the next owner. "We're holding out for that kind of community involvement and spirit for the building. This is important to us."
Horizon Books will remain operational during the tenant search, though physically closed temporarily due to the state's Stay Home Stay Safe order while processing online and phone transactions through the pandemic and will reopen once the order has been lifted.