In towns like Cochrane, smaller retailers face a dilemma: prime Main Street locations in heritage districts often guarantee higher visibility and better foot traffic on paper.
But with high rent costs and slim margins, these coveted retail spots are often unsustainable in practice.
This reality is extremely visible in Bragg Creek where groups like the Bragg Creek Chamber of Commerce are starting to develop brochures and tourism maps around the assumption that “transient” businesses will continue to move between locations as the town grows.
So, what is a small business owner to do when those high profile spots are out of reach or unsustainable long term?
Well, after my visit to Cochrane, I’ve brought back some creative ways entrepreneurs are learning to make secondary spaces work—turning low visibility into higher engagement.
And a few surprising connections from Bragg Creek that support that the shift may be a broader trend in small business retail.
The Price of Doing Business
Small-town retailers often struggle with high rent costs in key “Downtown” areas. This is an old, familiar complaint in tourist towns across Alberta, where newcomers and younger businesses are often priced out.
Partially because legacy businesses mostly enjoy consistent foot traffic thanks to a long-standing reputation. And partially, because many heritage or “main street” strips are owned by one or two legacy families or landlords.
Which can create resentment and a perception of perceived stagnation.
The challenge is not only visible in anecdotes but also reflected in small-business margins.
Yet, the reason behind it, and why it feels so hard to hold onto a good spot that should theoretically offer lots of foot traffic and easy visibility is hard to quantify.
When I brought this issue up briefly at a candidate meet and greet I was met by two very different responses.
Small business owners in retail, the restaurant industry and other businesses with high operating costs were in agreement that rental costs were a major concern.
While others seemed skeptical. Or simply considered high fixed costs “the price of doing business”.
These quiet voices in the mix mostly come from industries like engineering consultancy firms or specialized private schools—which operate on a significantly different scale.
Where costs and revenue are fixed or high-margin endeavours.
But for retail businesses dependent on seasonal foot traffic and small margins, these same costs sound more like life and death games playing out on the corners of a massive Go board.
So the question then becomes, how are these businesses surviving on a crowded board?
To get a broader perspective on the subject, I decided to take a day trip out to Cochrane to see if the same concerns I’ve been seeing were present there as well.
I also reached out to Cochrane Economic Development for insight into how Business Development planning is changing the local landscape.
But never heard back.
Which left me with mostly on the ground input that doesn’t entirely connect how small businesses feel to actual systems.
But did offer some interesting insights into how small business owners are learning to adjust
The Hidden Costs of Visibility
In Cochrane, where historical Main Street businesses set the tone, a quiet shift is happening: a growing number of smaller retailers are moving away from these “no brainer” retail spaces to survive.
Which strongly mirrors the way Bragg Creek businesses have learned to adapt to meet challenges any way they can—consignment models, shared spaces, or hybrid retail concepts.
All in an effort to take back their shrinking margins. And even more suprisingly, it seems to be working for at least a few small business owners.
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition And Buying to Build
When Cherie, owner of Horse Creek Heritage Candy & Gifts, took over the business in 2017, she was dealing with a mix of traditional products like tea towels and vintage décor.
All of which originally fit the Poor David’s, Heavenly Outhouse and old world “tea shop” aesthetic Cochrane’s Main Street is known for.
And, as her vision evolved toward a younger, trendier customer base, she faced pressure from both rent and a growing disconnect with the street’s “old-world charm.”
Then in 2019, when COVID hit, rent prices increased all along the strip during an especially challenging time for the business.
So, Cherie made the tough decision to move her shop off Main Street, to a secondary mall behind Little Caesars Pizza.
Though it’s not a high-visibility location, her new spot offers more space, lower rent, and the unexpected freedom to redefine the shop’s vibe for a different customer base.
And so far, Cherie hasn’t regretted it one bit. “I save thousands of dollars every month since I moved here.”
Which mirrors a local entrepreneur I spoke with recently, who admitted they regretted not having moved away from Bragg Creek’s Main mall sooner.
Mentioning how rapidly they’d begun to see growth when they acquired a cheaper space with more room.
And even expressed excitement over future plans to expand into a neighbouring unit. Something they hadn’t even considered possible initially.
The Hidden Gem Business Model
The move from Main Street isn’t about giving up on customers, even when it appears risky, at first.
Often, it’s about recalibrating the entire retail experience.
One small way Cherie has been transforming the store is finding interesting ways to move old stock to make room for locally produced artisan goods.
“You see those brown mystery bags over there.” She gestures towards tightly wrapped brown paper bags that say they may have picture frames, a vase or some other small goodie.”
“Most of those are things I’m still trying to get rid of from the first owners.”
It’s clever. Really clever. Especially when the products might not be bad or of poor quality. But certainly out of place in her newer, vibrant, Willy Wonka-esque shops.
Gen Z has shown a significant interest in mystery box or experience-oriented products for everything from Labubus to Gacha Games.
So, a simple mystery bag definitely bridges the gap.
Expanded In-Store Experiences
In secondary spaces, retailers can thrive by focusing on unique products, a curated customer experience, and savvy social media marketing. Something slightly higher margins can support in a way seasonal foot traffic can’t.
Horse Creek Heritage Candy & Gift’s new location is a perfect example. The store, now nestled in a hidden, secondary mall, has grown into a destination thanks to a mix of handmade chocolates, novel candy offerings, and one-of-a-kind local crafts.
Cherie has successfully used social media—particularly TikTok trends like ASMR-inspired candies—to generate interest.
“It’s all about offering something unexpected,” she says, noting her latest hit: crystal gem candies with a chewy center and crunchy outer layer.
She’s also created a fun, interactive element to the shop where customers can sometimes come in to find her creating new treats and candies in store or ask questions about some of her unique treats like unusually flavored cotton candy.
Or imported snack products like Beer Brat flavored Pringles. “I didn’t really think we’d sell that many. But it’s actually one of the most popular snacks I’ve brought in.”
Her story is echoed across Cochrane, where Rebel Comics and other businesses have made similar moves from Main Street to secondary areas.
These entrepreneurs, often serving younger client bases, understand that visibility isn’t everything.
And what they lose in prime visibility, they often make up for with an enhanced in-store experience or expanded product selection.
The Economics of Space
Cochrane’s Main Street rental rates seem to range from $18 to $40 per square foot annually, with prime spots often priced at the higher end of this range.
These numbers are based on archived rental and leasing rates across six different real estate listings in the historic downtown area.
What’s notable is that many of these “Main Street” or “heritage district” spaces are not even true downtown locations in the eyes of tourists.
But small business owners still pay a premium for the privilege of being adjacent to, or within, the heritage district.
For example, a recent listing for a 1,588-square-foot retail space on Main Street was listed at aproximatley $2,300 per month, while a smaller location on the same street, but tucked into a secondary mall like Cherie’s current shop, can cost a fraction of that—without the high foot traffic, but also without the high pressure.
These rent prices are often a base rate that doesn’t include additional costs for operating expenses, taxes, and insurance.
Which also means small businesses are likely paying significantly more in overhead. Especially if they are gift shops or family owned restaurants.
But the logic behind why people stay on Main Street is obvious. If you’re already struggling to make ends meet, why would you give up a high visibility spot and risk even lower revenue somewhere less visible?
Especially when customers are quick to assume a business has permanently closed down if moving announcements aren’t loud, clear and easy to follow.
And yet, businesses like Cherie’s are proving that off-Main Street can be viable—and often better—when rent is lower and the space allows for more flexibility.
Main Street's Identity and the Future of Small Town Retail
For decades, Cochrane’s heritage district has been home to businesses that serve tourists, and the look and feel of the street has remained largely unchanged.
Tourists expect quaint, frilly, old-fashioned gift shops and Mackays Ice Cream. So, these businesses continue to thrive.
There are also often zoning restrictions, building codes and economic development plans that can have a significant impact on which kinds of commercial businesses get approved and where.
For younger, trendier businesses—those catering to local tastes and modern sensibilities—the struggle to carve out space on Main Street is real.
And for some, it just isn’t worth the additional stress and pressure.
What We Can Learn From Off-Main Street Retailers
By moving off Main Street out of necessity, many businesses are inadvertently discovering they can redefine themselves outside the weight of historical expectations.
And, after speaking with Cherie and several other retailers who moved away from popular Main Street locations in favour of larger, quieter strips some insights have emerged.
The “hidden gem” business model seems to work best when it combines unique offerings, stellar customer service, and the flexibility to pivot with the times.
Secondary strips or quieter spaces often provide more room to breathe, lower rent, and a fresh opportunity to build community engagement.
But a lot of that early momentum requires visibility from other platforms like Google My Business, Social Media and “We’re Moving Announcements” to help customers transition.
The shift also leaves me with some questions.
Is Cochrane’s shifting retail landscape signaling a larger trend in small-town economics?
What does it mean when we look at who gets to be visible, and who has to adapt?
While this model seems to be working for some small business owners. It may not always be possible for businesses who haven’t established strong word of mouth in their communities.
Or operators who lack the time and resources to successfully build a social media following.
Still, even if those answers aren’t immediately forthcoming, it’s clear the next generation of businesses will likely continue testing what works on Main Street—and what thrives in those retail pockets, just out of sight.
Conclusion
Main Street will always have its place as the historic heart of a town, but for newer, younger businesses with thinner margins, flexibility is often key.
Whether it’s lower rent, more space, or a redefined customer experience, many entrepreneurs are discovering that moving off Main Street isn’t a step backward—it’s a step toward reinvention and personal innovation.
However, long-term sustainability is also never guaranteed.
Any entrepreneur willing to venture off Main Street is likely to face decreased foot traffic and significant customer acquisition challenges in their early years.
Still, as the traditional image of “Main Street” shifts, so too do the economic rules that govern it.
Which is probably why, just like in Bragg Creek, Cochrane’s smaller retailers are learning that survival often depends on reinvention, risk, and adaptive retail strategies—rather than foot traffic or blanket visibility advantages.
For some this means starting on Main Street, building a small, loyal customer base—and then moving to a more affordable secondary location.
For others, this might mean carving out a new path entirely in favour of redesigning success on one’s own terms.
But either way, it’s clear that the future of small business retail almost always lies in finding new ways to connect, engage, and thrive.
Even when the road ahead is unclear.
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