400 Main Street, Saint John, NB “Place 400”

A major expansion is underway for First City School of Dance after the business owner signed a lease for approximately 5,500 square feet at 400 Main Street in Saint John, NB

The new space represents a significant milestone for the growing dance school, allowing the business to expand from a single studio to three dedicated dance studios designed to accommodate classes for both children and adults. The larger footprint will also allow First City School of Dance to broaden its programming and continue fostering a welcoming, non-competitive environment that embraces a variety of dance styles and skill levels.

Owner Marcia Dysart said classes will continue at the current uptown location on Union Street throughout the summer, with plans to officially open the new Place 400 location in early September ahead of the fall dance season. Her second KV dance studio will be unaffected. 

The expansion reflects a broader shift occurring across the Canadian commercial leasing market, where experiential, wellness, fitness and service-oriented tenants are outperforming many traditional retail categories. Industry reports from major commercial real estate firms including Cushman & Wakefield Canada point to continued demand for tenants that drive customer engagement, community activity and recurring in-person visits.

Service-based businesses, particularly fitness, wellness, entertainment and personal services, are increasingly becoming key drivers of retail leasing activity across North America. From personal experience, I can say that these sectors are continuing to gain momentum as landlords look for tenants that create destination traffic and experiences that cannot be replicated online.

Stephanie Turner of Cushman & Wakefield Atlantic represented First City School of Dance in the transaction.