CUMBERLAND — The Shops at Canal Place aims to be a bustling, trendy shopping center, but the growing number of vacant businesses is making the area look more like a miniature ghost town.

Tree House Toys is leaving the area in January and relocating to Baltimore Street in February, while its sister business Along the Tow Path is premanently closing today. Awesome Gifts and Collectibles relocated to Greene Street in November.

This leaves the Shops with only four remaining businesses: Cumberland Trail Connection, the Crabby Pig, the Arts at Canal Place and the Queen City Creamery’s seasonal outlet.

“We’ve been challenged by the economy ­— it’s not the best time for anyone to be opening new businesses,” said Canal Place Preservation and Development Authority Chairman Andy Vick. “We’re hopeful that we’ll be able to find tenants to fill the spaces over time. I wish we were full, but I think there’s a natural ebb and flow of business and at this point we just happen to be doing more ebbing than flowing or whatever.”

Vick said that Canal Place officials are seeking new tenants for the vacant spaces.

“One of (Canal Place Executive Director) Renee (Bone)’s top priorities is finding tenants to fill those spaces and she’s been working on it diligently,” said Vick. “I do know that she has a number of leads, one in particular that is fairly solid which I really can’t comment on at this time. We’re obviously very interested in getting the shops there filled with tenants that’ll contribute to the overall ambience and mission of Canal Place.”

Downtown manager Ed Mullaney sees the situation as an opportunity rather than a problem. “It’s a challenge but it’s also another opportunity to create some new business,” said Mullaney. “We’re always looking at business retention and what’s better for business retention than a business that’s trying to expand into a bigger space? There’s certainly some wonderful opportunities that can happen at Canal Place and will continue to as we continue to grow together downtown.”

Mullaney emphasized the role of Canal Place as part of downtown and said that businesses were moving rather than closing. “Stores aren’t going out of business, it’s a matter of them relocating for a more critical mass of people or such.

“I think we have to look at it more globally,” said Mullaney. “It’s not pitting one against the other. We cross-promote each other — we do a lot of holiday events together. It’s not a competitive relationship. It’s a cooperative relationship.”

Mullaney added that he thinks people should stay optimistic about the state of Canal Place and downtown as a whole. “What I get concerned about is people making massive generalizations about everything going to Hell in a handbasket,” said Mullaney. “When you look back and see why those spaces are becoming empty it gives you a different story. It’s another reason to get up in the morning and ask how we can make it better.”

Awesome Gifts and Collectibles owner Jim Weir has a less sunny outlook. “I feel that Canal Place is mismanaged,” said Weir. “They have no one on the board or staff that appears to have any retail knowledge.”

Weir said that Canal Place misuses its limited parking, making it difficult for customers to visit stores. “The parking was very valuable to me since a lot of my customers were elderly or had stuff to bring in to sell to me and they couldn’t find anyplace to park,” said Weir. “I had to spend money advertising and there wouldn’t be any place for the people to park when they got there.”

Weir believes that this may only be the first of the problems that will face Canal Place. “I think that the shops at Canal Place are in a lot of trouble,” said Weir. “In all honestly if I was looking at something like that and three businesses had moved out in one month, I’d have to seriously consider if I wanted to go down there.”

“The parking’s vital,” said Weir. “Anybody in retail business in downtown Cumberland should know how important parking is.”

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