Community input shapes possible future for Columbia’s Shops at Sharp End

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

The future of the Shops at Sharp End remains uncertain as Columbia leaders and community members work to determine what comes next for the retail incubator after earlier public feedback exposed concerns about funding, sustainability and whether the project has fulfilled its mission.

During a follow-up community discussion Monday, organizers shifted focus from identifying problems to exploring possible solutions and gathering input on what a future version of the initiative could look like.

The Shops at Sharp End opened in 2024 through a partnership between Regional Economic Development Inc., The District and Central Missouri Community Action. The project was designed to support entrepreneurs while honoring the legacy of Columbia’s historic Sharp End business district, once the economic and cultural center of Columbia’s Black community.

But with federal American Rescue Plan Act funding nearing its end and no long-term funding source secured, organizers said the future of the space remains undecided.

An initial community conversation held June 4 revealed two major concerns surrounding the future of the Shops at Sharp End: Funding is expected to run out in September, and many community members questioned whether the project has been successful in achieving its mission.

Residents voiced concerns the storefront lacks visibility and fails to clearly indicate that multiple businesses operate within the space, limiting customer traffic and awareness.

Anthony Johnson, one of the program’s earliest participants who said he operated in the space for about two years, said the incubator struggled to create conditions for businesses to succeed.

“I think structurally, the marketing and advertising and how the foot traffic was going to come and all that stuff, I just don’t think it was planned out very well,” Johnson told ABC 17 News.

But concerns about business performance were only part of Monday's discussion. Others questioned whether the project had fulfilled its broader goal of honoring the Sharp End’s history.

From the early 1900s through the 1960s, the Sharp End business district stretched along Walnut Street between Fifth and Sixth streets, was the home to Black-owned businesses, gathering spaces and entrepreneurship before much of the area was displaced through urban renewal efforts.

“It really seemed kind of disrespectful, honestly. I think if it was something led by the community and we're trying to kind of rebuild what the Sharp End was and what it meant to the community, and put a 2026, 2027 twist on it that would make more sense,” Johnson said. “But managing a space that none of us own, and it's just a program of an organization and slapping the name Sharp End on it, I didn't like that at all.”

Those concerns extended beyond Monday’s meeting.

In a June 25 Facebook post, Columbia School Board member Erica Dickson -- who was in attendance on Monday -- questioned why the investment was not placed in one of the district’s remaining Black-owned commercial properties, whether the effort should have been Black-led and whether a different funding model could better address generations of economic displacement tied to the dismantling of the historic district.

District Executive Director Nickie Davis said hearing those criticisms publicly was a good stepping stone for moving forward. 

“Honestly, I was kind of glad it went the way it was. Those are a lot of thoughts and voices that have been expressed to me over the last couple of years, and I'm glad that they were now public and everyone can start processing them,” Davis said.

Davis said organizers are now trying to determine whether the concept should continue in its current form or evolve into something different.

“I think there was some great intentions, but we need to hear from the public to be able to figure out, if this is the same thing we should be doing, but better, or if we need something entirely different,” she said.

Monday's discussion centered on next steps, including whether the effort should remain a storefront, become a broader business support program or expand into a larger Sharp End initiative.

The Rev. James Gray suggested connecting the Shops at Sharp End, African American Heritage Trail and Blind Boone House under a broader umbrella designed to better showcase Black history and business in Columbia.

“One of the big things that I've always said is when people come into our community, they don't hear about what we got. They don't. African-Americans, we do not hear about what we got to offer. Let's put that out there, put it under one umbrella, and let's let them know," he said during Monday's meeting.

Johnson also added that future investment should focus more on strengthening businesses already operating in the community.

“I think that we just find a better way to invest in the businesses that are already there. I think that if we do that better, maybe even look at some of the businesses that were there currently," Johnson said. "I left the program just because; it ended up being a money pit for most of us.”

Another idea raised during the discussion was forming a community-led committee to help guide recommendations and oversee the next phase of planning. Johnson said he felt like both meetings were productive and hopes those conversations continue.

“I think this is a good opportunity for people in the community to come and be heard. There's not a limit on what we're talking about," he said. S"o if people have ideas of what we can do to expand majority black businesses in Columbia and help them continue to grow, I would like to see all those people at the table.”

No formal decisions were made Monday, but organizers outlined a short-term timeline for determining what happens next.

Discussions with current participants will begin in July to determine whether existing businesses want to remain in the space. That feedback will help shape immediate priorities for the storefront while a broader long-term plan is developed.

“Everything we're doing here is to hear those voices, those thoughts and concerns, so that we can take them into whatever this next version looks like,” Davis said. “I expect there to be probably at least one more of these public input meetings, but outside that, I'm not entirely sure what public outreach there might be.”