April 22, 2021

Sheila Hazard figured the Jones421 Building would end up serving as an incubator of sorts for small retail shops and restaurants.

The relatively small size of the spaces combined with the crossover traffic the building attracts could help successful startups grow out of their original space.

“They just don’t have room to expand anymore,” said Hazard, who developed the four-story mixed-use building with her late husband, Jeff, and opened it in 2018.

“Business is business and I’m sure the majority of the reasons why people are going.”

This summer will bring multiple tenant moves, which means more open spaces for other businesses at 421 N. Phillips Ave.

“I’m lining up people,” Hazard said.

“When we get someone smaller, for most of these it was their first location or their first in Sioux Falls. Basically, I think this is a success story. It means there’s opportunity also for other businesses to be successful. We just didn’t expect everybody to expand at one time.”

Bella Rosa Floral recently became the latest tenant to announce a move. The flower shop, which was an original tenant, posted on its Facebook page that it will be relocating to nearby 8th & Railroad Center.

It’s expected to take the former space of Josephine’s flower shop, which is transitioning to The Wedge on Western south of 69th Street.

“We are sad to be leaving our Jones family; however, we have outgrown our current space,” Bella Rosa said. “We are thrilled for this great opportunity and the wonderful things to come at 8th & Railroad! More details to come.”

Another new vacancy is Boki Gelato. Owner Borjan Jaksic is combining his gelato shop with his Boki European Street Food space in the same building.

That front-window space is available, and Hazard said she has interest from retailers in it.

Another open spot soon will be the Papa Woody’s Wood Fired Pizza space, which includes a hood system appealing to restaurateurs, Hazard said. The pizza shop is expanding to the nearby Cascade.

OG Greens already has closed, and Intoxibakes is taking that space.

That leaves the Intoxibakes space open.

“I’ve got two, three people looking already at her space, so that won’t be hard to rent,” Hazard said, adding it can be fitted with a hood.

While it’s a lot of moving pieces, Hazard said the building is flexible enough to handle it.

“I’m treating this as a positive thing,” she said. “If people think of the Jones and wonder what’s new there, it’s not a bad thing.”