Brett Roler still cringes when he recalls walking through a block that he considered one of the liveliest stretches of Memphis’ pedestrian mall. Roler, vice president of planning and development for the Downtown Memphis Commission, eavesdropped on the group of tourists strolling ahead of him — and he learned the visitors viewed the section of…To read more — login/subscribe
Electric scooters have become an important transit option in many downtowns. But the vehicles aren’t without their detractors, acknowledges Jenni Morejon, president and chief executive officer of the Fort Lauderdale Downtown Development Authority in Fort Lauderdale, FL (est. pop. 181,818). “There’s going to be, unfortunately, scooter haters,” Morejon says. “Convening a community conversation is really…To read more — login/subscribe
Signage is an important part of reopening in Fort Lee, NJ. The Fort Lee Downtown Business Alliance is placing signage in public areas throughout the district to promote safe distancing and to remind customers to wear face coverings. The alliance is also helping local business spread the safe-reopening message within their shops and restaurants with…To read more — login/subscribe
Sweet treats draw customers during holiday season In Oak Park, IL, the annual cookie walk draws crowds into downtown stores. The cookie walk began as part of the annual Winterfest, and quickly became the signature event. Participants purchase a souvenir cookie tin and a map of over 30 participating businesses. At each stop participants receive…To read more — login/subscribe
The city of Hamilton, OH, has launched several efforts in recent years to attract developers downtown. "We needed to ensure that our progress was communicated to as many people as possible to change the perception Hamilton struggled with," says Jody Gunderson, the city’s director of economic development.The marketing program includes: A quarterly e-newsletter highlights new…Continue reading
Restaurant Week has become a popular and recognizable event nationwide. Some programs, like the one in New Rochelle, NY, were created to help support downtown dining during the Great Recession, while more recent events were launched to capitalize on foodie and locavore trends.Today in New Rochelle, the goal is to draw guests during a typically…Continue reading
Rock Springs, WY (est. pop. 23,319), is a small city in a conservative state, and its gay community long maintained a low profile. That began to change about two years ago, when a downtown bookstore hosted a gathering for the LGBTQ community. Before the first such event at Sidekicks Wine & Book Bar, Chad Banks,…To read more — login/subscribe
For landlords, developers, and other downtown leaders, food halls have a strong appeal. By combining half a dozen or more eateries under one roof, food halls attract consumers and drive foot traffic. A typical food hall might combine a taco place, a gourmet burger joint, a noodle shop, a cold-brewed coffee roaster, and a bar…Continue reading
The community visioning session is a basic building block of community planning and downtown leadership. An effective visioning session can yield insights and build consensus. But organizing and conducting a successful visioning session isn’t easy. This is an ambitious, time-consuming undertaking. To do it right, you’ll need to spend several months preparing. The visioning session…To read more — login/subscribe
In Iowa City, IA (est. pop. 75,231), the Iowa City Downtown District is testing novel ways to serve existing merchants and recruit new ones. In one successful strategy, the Downtown District runs its own delivery service. It leases a vehicle and pays a driver, and deliveries are free from downtown merchants to customers within a…To read more — login/subscribe
