More houses bring more business on 350

LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Despite a recession, business is booming on the south side of Lafayette.

Many businesses are coming to County Road 350 South. It seems that commercial and residential go hand in hand. The convenient location between I-65, U.S. 52 and West Lafayette makes 350 South ideal for business.

Residents on the south side of Lafayette don't need to go far from home for almost anything. Walmart, banks, restaurants, clothing stores, hair salons and even tax help are all available within a 500 yard radius.

"Part of what drives the commercial business is the residential base which has continued to grow and the traffic," explains Coldwell Banker Commercial President Steve Shook. "At Concord (Road) and 350 the average daily traffic count is 30,000 cars a day or better."

In the past few years, businesses have migrated to the south side of Lafayette near 350 South. A lot of signs say available space, but Shook said they don't stay available for long.

"In the past three to four months we have seen a pick up in lease activity. An example would be Sigma Health care. Sigma is taking space at Hunter's Square. You see more activity today," he said.

Business owners like Chris Blumling already had multiple locations around Lafayette. Blumling owns Christina & Company Salon and Day Spa which has locations in West Lafayette and on State Road 26 east in Lafayette. She said opening another location on Lafayette's south side was a no brainer.

"We heard the south side was growing," Blumling said. "We really thought this would be a really good market for us. That way, wherever you lived in town, there would be a Christina & Company."

The salon opened in 2007 under the name Salon Studios. This November, Blumling decided to add Christina and Company to the name. She said the south side location allowed her to do something new.

"It is more of a boutique concept with booth rental where the stylist would rent their own rooms so there would be several different salons in one salon," she said.

The salon also has something else that is different from the other two locations: jewelry, clothing, purses and sunglasses customers can buy, giving some a specific reason to make the trip from other areas of Lafayette to the south side of town.

Blumling said the response from customers about the new location on 350 has been positive. And because of that, they will be adding massages, facials and nail techs and more hair stylists.