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There was a line at the door when the Rundown sneaker shop opened on Pratt Street in downtown Hartford for the first time on Saturday. On Sunday, Bloom Bake Shop announced it had leased one of the shops on the historic brick-lined Pratt Street. The short and historic commercial street is a particular focus for revitalization by officials trying to regain retail momentum stolen by the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy tour the renovated Swift Factory in Hartford's Northeast neighborhood.

Hartford’s initiative to help fill vacant storefronts downtown and in city neighborhoods with up to $6 million in overall funding has drawn dozens of applications since the program was announced a month ago.

The pandemic’s effects can be seen in the vacant storefronts in downtown Hartford. But with the many new apartments being built and leased downtown, landlords and city boosters say they hope it’s only a matter of time before those storefronts find new tenants. “With all those apartments, you’re getting a built-in clientele,” said Kevin Kenny, vice president of Lexington Partners, a major downtown landlord. “That’s one of the major benefits we’re selling.” To that, he said, you can add the many people moving into downtown Hartford.