DRY RIDGE — After years of struggling to find its niche, the Dry Ridge Outlet Center is marking a rebirth.

Garry Daniel readies his new store, Garry's Pets, in the Dry Ridge Outlet Mall. The center's occupancy rate is 76 percent, up from 50 percent about four years ago. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        Along with Saturday's opening of a farmers market, the 11-year-old Grant County retail center will welcome two new businesses this weekend — Garry's Pets, and Tidbits and Temptations, a home decor shop that features Christmas decorations.

        Two other businesses are scheduled to open in late July, bringing the number of tenants to 25 and boosting the outlet center's occupancy rate to 76 percent. The development saw its occupancy dip to 50 percent about four years ago.

        Tenants and others attribute the center's turnaround to two major factors. The first is new ownership that's marketed the center to local shoppers through a series of free community events. But the second, last November's opening of a Cracker Barrel restaurant, gets much of the credit.

        “I think Cracker Barrel has contributed a lot of traffic to the center,” said Angie Fortner, manager of the L'Eggs Hanes Bali store that was one of the outlet center's original tenants. “Having a restaurant definitely helps keep customers (at the center) because they don't have to leave for lunch.”

        Besides Cracker Barrel, the center saw four new businesses open within the past year — Papalote Crafts, Bon Worth women's clothing store, Comtech Cingular and CBS Personnel. By the end of the month, Big Dog Clothing, featuring sportswear, and 99 Center, “a cross between a Dollar Store and a Big Lots” are scheduled to open, said Wendy Brown, the outlet center's promotions and marketing coordinator.

IF YOU GO

• What: Dry Ridge Farmers Market     • When: Opens 9 a.m. Saturday at the Dry Ridge Outlet Center with 11 vendors from throughout Kentucky. Runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and from 2 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays through the fall     • Other weekend activities: Antique tractor show from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday; horse-drawn carriage rides throughout Saturday and Sunday; and sandwiches grilled by Shoney's on Sunday.     • Directions: From Cincinnati, take Interstate 75 south to the Dry Ridge exit, Exit 159. The outlet center is visible from the interstate.

        Garry Daniel of Dry Ridge, who is realizing his dream of opening Garry's Pets this week, said the center has more varied offerings today than it did a year ago, and customer traffic has increased within the past four or five months.

        Rather than content themselves with “just grabbing the drive-by traffic,” Sugar Oak Properties, the Herndon, Va.-based company that bought the center last year, “is much more attuned to the Northern Kentucky market,” Ms. Brown said.

        For the second summer, the center is offering “Music on the Ridge,” free concerts on Saturday afternoons.

        The center also hosted a Renaissance Christmas Fair last holiday season, featuring handmade gifts.

        And starting Saturday, the center will host its second annual farmers market.

        As it did last year, the Dry Ridge Farmers Market will honor coupons from WIC, the federal nutrition program for women, infants and children. WIC participants can pick up $20 worth of coupons, good through Sept. 30, at the Grant County Health Department in Williamstown.

        The center's owners also recently received approval to build a 7,200-square-foot pavilion in the section of the parking lot where farmers sell their produce. Besides housing the seasonal farmers market, it could be the site of other local events, Ms. Brown said.

        “Groups will be able to use the pavilion for any kind of community event — things like picnics, fashion shows, meetings or concerts,” she said.
       
       

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