Study shows downtown St. Charles ‘healthy’ business occupancy rates

The city of St. Charles said 2025 represented a year of healthy occupancy rates among the storefronts and businesses in the downtown area. The city is focusing on 11 vacant storefronts going into the next year.

The city partnered with the St. Charles Business Alliance to study occupancy rates in the city’s downtown. The study provides a snapshot into the city’s makeup of businesses and shows which industries have the largest footprint in town.

The downtown area has around 544,391 square feet of storefront commercial space, according to the study.

Throughout 2025, downtown storefronts maintained an occupancy rate of 95%. This represents a slight increase in vacancies compared to 2024’s occupancy rate of 95.7%.

A map of downtown St. Charles indicates the current occupied storefronts in green and the vacancies and partial-vacancies in red and yellow. (Photo Provided By The City of St. Charles)

The study defines vacant property as any commercially-zoned buildings that are “unoccupied, not in use, or without an active lease.”

“Planning standards generally consider an occupancy range of 85% to 95% to be healthy for suburban commercial corridors, reflecting a vibrant business environment while still allowing for normal turnover and reinvestment,” Derek Conley, the city’s economic development director, said in city documents.

The study identified 11 vacant first-floor storefronts or buildings in the downtown area. The city identified 174 total businesses in the downtown area, including the 11 vacant storefronts.

This includes the current storefront of Jeans & Cute Top Shop, 161 S. First St. The owners of the business have told the city they are not renewing their lease and will be leaving in February, according to the study.

The St. Charles Business Alliance collected data on the percentage of businesses by industry located in the city's downtown area in 2025. (Photo Provided By The City of St. Charles)

It also includes the storefront of the former Bespoke Dental Offices and an adjacent office building, located at 11 S. Second Ave. This property is being redeveloped and under construction. The city expects occupancy sometime this year.

What’s the makeup of the city’s businesses?

When it comes to industry in the city’s downtown, restaurants and bars are king, making up 54 of the downtown’s 174 businesses. This represents 32% of the total square footage of available storefronts in the downtown.