Socket leaves downton, Allen’s staying on 9th Street

Blooms will replace books in August when Allen’s Flowers takes over a portion of the space occupied by 9th Street Bookstore until March 31.
Bargain hunters should mark another date on their calendars. In July, Allen’s will have a moving sale.

After 65 years in the same location, Allen’s owner Sandra Ferguson said, “The basement is full of stuff.”

The landmark flower shop will stay open at its current site, 201 S. 9th St., until it moves to 111 S. 9th in the Atkins City Centre. The former bookstore will be divided into three retail spaces, with the work occurring in April and May, allowing Ferguson and her crew June and July to make the move.

“We won’t have to close, and we’ll continue to take orders,” Ferguson said.
The new location is three times the size of the current shop, providing room to display the furniture and accent pieces offered through Allen’s Home Living, a Web-based business launched in 2005, and allow the business to offer design classes. Ferguson’s daughters, Amy Ferguson and Carrie Bryant, operate Allen’s Home Living.

“Along with the larger space and new look, we have found several new lines of home décor,” Ferguson said. “This will give Columbia insight into all the newest design concepts.”

In terms of blooms, Ferguson said, “We have also contacted several of the best commercial farms, and we will be able to give customers the freshest and longest-lasting flowers available.”

As far as Allen’s new retail neighbors, negotiations are under way with two other retailers for the remainder of the bookstore’s space, said Paul Land, vice president of Plaza Real Estate Services Commercial Division.

“We’re talking with other tenants, none of which we can discuss right now,” said Scott Atkins of Tom Atkins Investments, owner of the Atkins City Centre. For now, he said, “I’m glad Allen’s can stay downtown.”

Allen’s is one of six stores that must move to make way for the restoration of the Missouri Theatre, which is expected to start in August 2007 and be completed by June 2008.