The Cornerhouse Market is a Bahamas Development Bank-led project that will restore a historic property in downtown Nassau as a mixed-use cultural and commercial marketplace. Located near Nassau Cruise Port and Graycliff Heritage Village, the project is designed to connect Bahamian micro, small and medium-sized enterprises with tourism demand, local consumers and potential export channels. It addresses a market-access gap for businesses that lack affordable, professionally managed routes into high-traffic retail and distribution networks.

The development will combine curated retail, food and beverage, wellness services, cultural experiences, event spaces, digital commerce and wholesale distribution. Participating businesses will access shared staffing, sales, marketing and logistics infrastructure, reducing the cost and administrative burden of reaching customers. Revenue is expected from vendor display fees, space rentals, operator rent and revenue-sharing arrangements, sales commissions, visitor experiences, and distribution and logistics services. A planned digital ecosystem will support e-commerce, inventory management, online booking, vendor performance tracking and export facilitation, while generating verifiable sales records that may strengthen access to finance.

The project is at an advanced development stage. Business and financial models have been completed, a landowner memorandum of understanding has been executed, an SPV and governance structure have been defined, and draft architectural plans and contractor estimates have been prepared. Company materials indicate that Cornerhouse is intended to accommodate approximately 350 businesses, with capacity for 277 vendor relationships. Demand is supported by its location within a growing tourism corridor and BDB’s vendor engagement. The model also has potential for future replication in the Family Islands and other CARIFORUM markets.

Against a total capital requirement of approximately USD 7.6 million, Cornerhouse is seeking USD 3,133,246 through equity investment, strategic partnerships and development finance. The funding will support restoration and redevelopment of the property, procurement of furniture, fixtures and equipment, development of the integrated digital platform, and key project preparation and implementation activities.

The project is expected to contribute to heritage preservation, downtown regeneration, MSME growth, employment and greater retention of tourism spending within The Bahamas. By linking physical market access with digital sales and business-performance data, Cornerhouse also aims to strengthen the commercial readiness and scalability of participating enterprises.