Baker Leavitt, a Cora Bett Thomas Realty's Agent, in the News

Favorite
Baker Leavitt, a sales associate of Cora Bett Thomas Realty Company and part owner of ABL Lofts, plans to put in 16 apartments and 14 condos on the floors above the new Marc Jacobs store. Full article from the Savannah Morning News:The walk down Broughton Street is about to take a little longer. Savannah's fashion-conscious female residents are about to have some new merchandise to gawk at. Art collectors will have a new gallery option as well. And an assortment of living spaces are coming to give the businesses a customer boost. High-end women's apparel store Marc Jacobs is opening on the corner of Montgomery and Broughton streets. Down the road, Copper Penny, an upscale ladies clothing and shoe boutique with locations in Charleston and Mt. Pleasant, S.C., will be opening at 22 W. Broughton St., currently occupied by The Bicycle Link. Building owner Tanya Cordell-Glaize said she expected Marc Jacobs to open in January. The high-end retailer carries its signature brand, which has received acclaim in the international fashion world and is popular among celebrities. "We really held out for them," Cordell-Glaize said. "They looked at the space about six or seven months ago. It takes awhile, especially with a big name like that." The addition of Marc Jacobs leaves one space left to fill, Cordell-Glaize said. The Athlete's Foot recently opened, and local vintage general store @Home is relocating from York Street to the spot beside Marc Jacobs at 320 W. Broughton St. ABL Lofts LLC is buying the second and third floors to put in 14 apartments and 16 condos, said Baker Leavitt, a sales associate of Cora Bett Thomas Realty Co. "Marc Jacobs will basically have a clientele above them," Leavitt said. The condos will start at $350,000 and the apartments will start at $1,000, he said. Leavitt, who is a principal owner of ABL Lofts, also plans to put residential space above 5 and 15 W. Broughton St. Cordell-Glaize said she is talking with a few possible tenants for the remaining space at her building, and it will probably be filled by another apparel store. "I think we should be able to compete with King Street in Charleston," she said. That's the same line of reasoning behind Penny Vaigneur's decision to open a Copper Penny and Copper Penny Shooz down the road. "I feel like Savannah is a young Charleston," Vaigneur said. "We considered Hilton Head or Savannah for a couple of years and came up with the conclusions that Savannah is the place to be." Vaigneur's family-run stores sell designer clothing, accessories and shoes. Brand names include Kate Spade, Anne Klein, Sigerson Morrison and Michael Kors. Clothing can range from a $40 T-shirt to a $400 cocktail dress, Vaigneur said. Shoes range in price from $100 to $400. Vaigneur is planning to open in early spring. The Bicycle Link is looking for another location. Goldon House Gallery will be moving into one of the five vacant parcels located between 5 and 15 W. Broughton St. in November, said Vincent Golshani, the galleries featured artist. The first Goldon House Gallery opened at 24 Drayton St. in August. That location will remain open, Goshani said. He is looking forward to the increased foot traffic on Broughton Street. The gallery will feature paintings by Goshani that typically run between $1,800 to $2,000, he said. Work by local artist Jessica Reiling will also be displayed there. In addition, the gallery carries antique Chinese furnishings ranging from 100 years to 400 years old, Goshani said. Goshani is optimistic about the direction Broughton Street is heading. "I've seen the potential for many years," Goshani said. "It will be absolutely magnificent to be established here four or five years from now."