How about I not rail against the downtown street closures? How about I just present some facts and let you all draw your own conclusions?
1. I NEVER CLOSE. I'm a workaholic. I hate the idea of losing any possible sales.
A.) I'm open on New Year's.
B.) I'm open on the Fourth of July.
C.) I'm closed today.
2. SALES. Sales last week during the Cascade Criterion (which used to be called the Twilight Criterion and started at 7:00, but which has been moved to 2:00) were fine until 2:00, after which they dribbled to a stop. I left at 4:00, as did most everyone else on the street, at least those who bothered to open at all.
A. My sales in the 4 hours on Sunday following (no street closure) exceeded my
Saturday sales.
3. CARS AREN'T MY BAG. Yesterday, sales were half my average. I sold very few comics or books to the car folk, and since those are 70% of my sales... After the yellow tape went up, sales again dribbled to nothing. I closed at 5:00.
4.) ANOTHER? BIKE RACE? Today's closure is a NEW event. I repeat, another NEW street closure, although I was under the impression that they had already filled the quota of allowed closures.
It runs exactly into my normal store hours, and after my experience last weekend and this Saturday, I'm just not bothering to open up. This has been more or less a lost weekend.
But, Hey!, I've been assured over and over again that it's good for me.
Of course, this benefit -- like all advertising and promotion -- can't be quantified. Never mind that I CAN quantify the actual loss of sales on the day of the events, I should just take the promoter's assurances.
But you know what? I finally figured out that if all the customers are "coming back later" then I don't actually need to be there today.
Meanwhile, there are still a couple of peak weekends we haven't filled yet. Think of the events we could still bring in.
Since Cars and Bikes work so well for me, what else could we have?
Pro Wrestling?
A Rodeo?
Monster Trucks?
Video Game Championships?
Body Building?
Film Festival. No wait, we already have that. Don't we?
Come on, Downtowners -- there are still a couple of weekends left where I'm allowed to be a business. We can't have that. Get with it, Chuck!
Since this is so good for business, why stop at the 13 peak weekends of summer or the 5 peak weekends of Christmas?
We storekeepers pay high rent all year long, so you should just maybe close the streets every weekend. People will assuredly come back in twice the numbers on weekdays to make up for it. Right?
I'm sure all us stores are just the sort of quaint backdrop that the weekend vendors in the middle of the street need.
Be sure and block all access to the stores, though. Lots of fences and stages and circling spandex and straw bales and big refrigerators and signs and canopies -- make sure the traffic flow isn't directed toward the sidewalks and stores but toward the center of the street and the visiting vendors.
Every once in a while, I might actually see a 'future' customer look away from the events toward my store. They look a little confused and disoriented to see an actual store there, but they quickly take a sip of wine and get over it. Their kids are running through the hay bale maze, afterall.
Why stop at the weekends, we could have a full time festival/carnival/flea market. Think of all the people that would draw!
And it's worked so well for Eugene and Coos Bay. Who needs the feeling of activity that actual traffic brings. The kids who hang out in the "dead zone" (city manager's words) near the river can spread out all over town.
We won't need parking, because I'm certain all the public spirited attendees of the year long festival will be happy to walk and bike long distances -- for a good cause.
Actually, come to think of it, you don't really need the stores at all. They just get in the way. I'm sure Hollywood has lots of real looking backdrops they are willing to unload.
Think of the fun everyone will have in a year long festival! Party on, dudes? I'm not important.
DEEP BREATH. O.K. I railed. But dammit, it's my livelihood.
Before anyone says, "if you don't like it, leave!" -- why should I? I was here first. I'd like to see a fully functional downtown.
I was very willing to accept a 'grandfathered' event scenario, where all current events continue, but no more are added.
I repeat: I was WILLING TO ACCEPT the grandfathered events, though I think there are too many. But, as far as I'm concerned, the compromise was immediately compromised...
But add, they did. And they also expanded the hours of the current events. (Nice loophole, that.)
They can't seem to help themselves.
I know I'm in the unpopular minority, here.
THE LOBBY: Look at the lobby for these events.
1.) The media, who reap advertising dollars as well as a good story. Sometimes, they are even the sponsor.
2.) The City of Bend, who reap the glow of an active town.
3.) The Downtowner organization, who justify their existence by creating these events.
4.) Event organizers, who sometime make a profit, and who sometimes contribute to non-profit. (How can I be against non-profit?)
5.) Vendors. Who benefit from a vibrant downtown without having to pay that pesky high rent all year long.
6.) The downtown businesses who actually do benefit, however many there are.
7.) And you. The biggest lobby of all. What am I trying to do? Take away your (FREE) fun?
What chance does the every day sales of a small business have against that?
And why should they pay any attention to us retailers? Other than to butter us up just enough to get the event, but not actually try to help during the event. (I still need to post pictures of the garbage pile the Summer Fest left in front of my store all day Sunday...)
After all, us retailers are mostly Mayflies, here today, gone tomorrow.
You've got:
A.) The Newcomers, who I guarantee you ALWAYS believe the assurances that it's good for business.
B.) The Oldtimers who don't like the events (I guarantee you I'm not the only one) but who see no percentage in taking on an unpopular opinion, especially since it probably won't change things.
C.) The True Believers, who actually do believe it helps, and since it truly can't be quantified, their guess is as valid as mine in the eyes of outsiders.
D.) The Doomed and the Clueless, who have never actually crunched the numbers or thought about it. Mayflies.
E.) The Go-Alongers. Probably the biggest group of all, who figure its a small plus or a small minus, who just close and take the time off, and who go along to get along.
So I'll ask only one thing of you all. Watch what happens over the next few years.
Is it all to the good? To the good of everyone?
Does anyone care?
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30 comments:
Ohhhhh Lordy!
No more Bully interviews for a Bad Boy I know of!
It's funny that they closed off downtown Eugene streets to "help" downtown. Then a few years later they had to reopen Eugene streets because people were afraid to go there and shop since the blocked off streets were mostly occupied with bored and intimidating teenagers.
They ADDED A NEW EVENT!
I don't even care if it's a replacement, it's still new. And they've expanded all the other events.
They won't stop.
I didn't even mention the event 'hangover' effect, or the lost business to the yellow tape which they put up as much as 8 hours before the scheduled event -- and scare the hell out of shoppers with the "Will be Towed" signs.
To my mind, they broke the agreement. (Which I thought a former city council had formalized...)
It seems to me that one way to prove illogic is to extend the logic to its extreme to expose the underlying weakness.
If street closures are good, then more street closures are better.
But we know that isn't true.
Meanwhile, they -- the movers and shakers -- are asking me to take it on FAITH that closures help business, but no PROOF.
But I have PROOF that they don't work on the actual days. Why is it they don't work on the actual days when we have the actual people downtown for the actual events? I mean, they need only step over to the sidewalk and walk into my store, and save themselves a trip and buy something if they are actually interested.
But no, they'll come back with a special trip even though they can't be bothered to walk a few feet on the actual day? Huh?
So we should believe these very same people will come back? And spend money? When they didn't spend money when they actually were there? What kind of real interest does it show?
Why? Should we believe this? Because it makes common sense to people who have nothing at stake? Who aren't there everyday to see if it actually happens?
Shouldn't I be getting a few more mentions of, "We were down last week for such and such an event and we saw your store and came back?"
Instead of me seeing my usual regulars and out of town visitors (who WEREN'T here for the events.)
Think about it -- do restaurants close for non-profit events on Fridays and Saturdays for special events thinking they'll so impress everyone that they'll come back in the week?
No, if they close at all, they'll chose an OTHERWISE slow day. Which is what we should be doing too.
But what weekends are closed? The PEAK weekends, the equivalent to a restaurant driving all their regular Friday and Saturday night customers away.
It isn't about us the merchants -- it's about everyone else.
And yet, us the merchants, pay the RENTS! And high rents at that. To invite outsiders in to partake of our efforts, to carpetbag if you will, and we're supposed to like it.
It's just maddening to hear clueless people assure me that its "Good for Business" when I know it isn't.
It's good for Bend? Fine. There are parks all over Bend. Paid for by the public, not the merchants.
But it isn't the public who is putting on these events.
It's my fellow merchants. How can I explain that?
I can't. I'm mystified by their choice.
So I go my own way. And outlast 90% of them.
I've told this story before. Ran into a fellow merchant who told me it was her slowest day yet.
"Maybe we should try a little harder to keep them from closing the streets," I said.
"Oh, no!" she said. "These are the best things that have ever happened."
I walk away confused. She closed a month later.
For this past week/weekend bike race -- The real (and maybe only) winner is the agencies that use TRT funds. The organizers of the event and I assume, Chuck will stress that it brought xx% increase in bookings for the week and increased TRT which in part helps fund tourist promotions.
There is a need for events in a community but not when street closure become the norm and it has negative effects on general retail ... please note the term -- General retail. General retail is not restaurants, hotels or hot dog vendors.
Cut off access to the streets, sidewalks and travel routes in a routine fashion and the locals and visitors will stay away.
Heads (or butts)in beds are good but not at the expensive of your livelihood.
"The media, who reap advertising dollars as well as a good story. Sometimes, they are even the sponsor."
Speaking from experience, they couldn't care less about the story and the sponsorship is a money-loser. They do reap ad dollars from the special event inserts they publish. I'd say that's the only incentive -- aside from the questionable "glory" of being associated with the event.
I do agree we've started to have overkill with all these "events" and "fests" and "festivals" and "fiestas," not only downtown but elsewhere. Every week during the summer -- sometimes two or three times a week -- there's some half-assed "festival" or other. I'd rather see this town have one or two really big events and do 'em first class.
"It seems to me that one way to prove illogic is to extend the logic to its extreme to expose the underlying weakness. If street closures are good, then more street closures are better."
The old reductio ad absurdum argument. But in this case you tried to flip it upside down and it doesn't work. The fact there there may be too many street closures does not prove there should be NO street closures. Just as the fact that chugging a whole fifth of Scotch will kill you doesn't prove you should never take a drink.
"So we should believe these very same people will come back? And spend money? When they didn't spend money when they actually were there? What kind of real interest does it show?"
As you have noted yourself many times, you cater to a highly specialized niche market. Somebody who casually strolls into your store out of curiosity and is not interested in your particular lines of merchandise is not likely to come back and buy stuff later. OTOH somebody who browses a shoe store or home furnishings store may very well do so. IOW what I'm saying is that the events might not benefit YOUR store, but might be benefiting OTHER types of stores.
I've got no dog in this hunt either way, but if these street closures are so harmful to business, wouldn't a hell of a lot more businessspersons would be opposing them? Or are we supposed to believe they're all idiots?
"I've got no dog in this hunt either way, but if these street closures are so harmful to business, wouldn't a hell of a lot more businessspersons would be opposing them? Or are we supposed to believe they're all idiots?"
The health care insurance system is broken. Are we to believe they're all idiots?
We have homeless people, are we to believe all agencies are idiots?
I could go on....
I think I'm right that it hurts business, but the combination of entrenched interests, uniformed newcomers, oldtimers who don't want to rock the boat, and ...well...as you say, idiots.
Hard to root out once it's grown.
There is probably nothing harder to overturn than a common sense assumption that is wrong.
I think it takes only a couple people to block change.
It's like a mountain trail that is so overloved that it becomes destroyed by those who love it.
Festivals -- a few special, unique festivals -- made sense when Bend downtown Bend was struggling. We have no shortage of foot traffic, just people willing to spend money, which isn't the fault of not enough to do.
If I had a popular product in my store, and I was constantly sold out of it, would I keep advertising it? Does that make any sense?
Finally, I not sure what the thinking is about minority interests -- but I don't believe the majority can infringe on the minorities right to earn a living just because they can outvote them.
If, say, a third of the businesses lose money, a third make money, and a third break even, it seems a hardship on those that lose money.
But if, as I believe, no one would lose money without the street closures, but perhaps a few wouldn't make 'as much' money, that seems fairer.
Do no harm.
And, I could make a pretty good case that a good reliable shopping experience might in the end benefit even those stores that have short term boosts due to the festivals.
It seems like the proof should be for those who incur the hardship, and I've seen absolutely no proof beyond generalized 'brings in x amount of dollars.'
Says who?
I see proof in front of my own eyes -- not only my own store, but all the stores on my block, that it isn't helpful.
I don't think (all) downtowners are idiots, just afraid to incur the wrath of the public by taking an unpopular position.
Let me put it another way, as an example.
Let's say you have a next door neighbor, who you've always gotten along with.
One night he has a wild party, which goes on until 4:00 in the morning.
Fine, you think. Everyone deserves a good blowout party once in a while.
Next weekend, he has another blowout party; this time just before an important meeting that just might save your job.
You grin and bear it.
The following weekend, he not only has a part on Friday night, and Saturday night, but also on Sunday night, and they are getting louder and bigger.
You catch the guy the next morning, and he just laughs and says everyone in the neighborhood is welcome to come.
Next week, it's party all night long every night.
Get my drift? Even if everyone on the block but you attends the party,even if the police chief and the mayor are part of the party, seems like there comes a point where your private rights to a good nights sleep comes in -- even if you take everyone else's fun away.
Why is closing the streets when it hurts my business any different?
Black Dog, if I may use your analogy.
What if I agreed to meet my boos and co-workers for a few drinks in a bar? Without asking, you start double shotting my drinks.
When I start to feel a little woozy, and want to leave, you imply my job depends on me staying and drinking and what kind of kill joy am I?
And your coworkers are so sloshed, they join right in kidding you.
DRINK! DRINK! DRINK!
Come on, Duncster, get with the rest of us.
What I'll continue to point out, is that while I was good with a few events, they KEEP ADDING THEM! And EXPANDING THEM!
So, in a sense, they are indeed making me drink the whole bottle, whether like it -- whether they like it -- or not.
Peer pressure is probably the biggest factor, combined with entrenched interests and a downtown organization whose very existence depends on promoting these events.
In a way, it's a replay of the pro-growth debate. Not all of us were pushing for growth, but no one in power tried to delay it, because of powerful interest groups.
You couldn't get elected dog catcher if you were anti-growth, and you would have been branded a crackpot.
So was all that growth good? Were we all idiots?
Are all these downtown promotions good? If no one is willing to speak up, does that mean everyone agrees?
Someone more politically adept than me, could probably find enough political support to create a constituency against street closures -- but just as health insurance was never a possibility until it hurt enough people, neither is my position.
In fact, I think we'll get such a watered down version of health insurance, it won't help.
Wait until 50% of the voting public is uninsured, then something might happen. It will take more than 50% of the businesses downtown to take a stand, and most don't stay around long enough to figure it out.
Yes, we're idiots.
Duncan, I was not able to attend any of the bike races downtown this summer, though I'm an avid cycling fan...I was too busy working on orders for my web based business. However, my wife, who did attend the Cascade Classic Criterium, ventured that Bend surely was doing better economically than reported, based on her observation of all the folks who attended the race, and were spending money on food and drink. Since, I, a humble and regular reader of your blog, now know better, I let her know that some businesses suffered from these types of downtown street closures.
I suggest that the organizers of new events pay an extra fee that will be distributed to downtown businesses for the rental of the entire downtown. Let the established events be grandfathered in, like the Cascade Classic Criterium, Summer Fest etc. Anything else, why, if it is a good event, maybe it would be good to host it in the Old Mill or the Forum shopping center? Someone is surely making money from these events, correct? Well, the cost of doing business downtown, when shutting down the streets, is the cost of getting a permit which would reimburse lost revenues to downtown businesses for that event. It'd be fun (or impossible) to try to figure out exactly how much money that would cost (I smell beaurocracy in the wings here...) but still, how can it be good for Bend to have the spotlight on an event while the event is harming the very businesses that make Bend's downtown a vital and vibrant downtown?
The last time anything was done about this issue was when there were two actual real live small businessmen on the city council.
Jim Young was mayor and owned the wine shop down the street, and Tom DeWolfe owned Westside Video.
They were at least willing to listen to reason about the endless street closures when I button holed them (well, called them on the phone.)
I think I remember they cut back a couple of the less useful events, and set limits...
I always tell this story. The yellow tape used to really kill business (I think people have gotten used to them.) So one time, when there was event scheduled after six, I got there in the morning and the tape was already up.
I get really kind of irked, and take matters into my own hands. I go out and cut away all the ribbon in front of my building.
The kicker?
I look down the street and Mayor Young is doing the same thing!
Hah!
I was sort of hoping the police would show up....
Today and yesterday, and last week - or was it the week before - I forget because it seems like it's been so mmany times this summer, I wanted to eat or shop downtown but Bond Street was blocked off so I went elsewhere. I'm sympathetic with you Duncan. Maybe some street closure events should be moved to the Old Mill District or the Costco mall or elsewhere to balance the grin-and-bear-it sales hits you downtown businessmen have to suffer.
Hey Dunc, I have to confess that, as an avid cyclist, I enjoy the bike races. But I can't argue with your logic either. So, I sympathize.
But I also find myself trying to justify these events, since I do enjoy them. So... could a case be made that they help cast Bend in a more unique light and, in so doing, help draw a larger, more affluent(???) population to the area? ... which in turn increases your potential customer base?
Just speculating... I have no idea if there's any substance to this theory.
"Or are we supposed to believe they're all idiots?"
Is that especially difficult?
"So... could a case be made that they help cast Bend in a more unique light and, in so doing, help draw a larger, more affluent(???) population to the area? ... which in turn increases your potential customer base?"
That's certainly the argument they use. Impossible to prove, either way.
But:
Do they need two bike races in a row?
Do they always need to close the streets?
Do they always have to have it downtown?
When is it too much of the same good thing, losing it's effectiveness?
Do they have to hold them on Peak weekends, instead of the off season when they might actually draw customers, instead of repel them?
Is there any effort to point these hordes toward the store?
Are the event organizers courteous toward the existing businesses?
And so on.
No, their answer is, shut up, quit complaining, it's good for you.
"Jim Young was mayor and owned the wine shop down the street, and Tom DeWolfe owned Westside Video."
Two of the worst elected public officials this town ever had.
But back to the subject at hand: Yes, I'll agree that these special events have gotten out of hand. Too damn many of 'em. They have lost their specialness, and a special event that ain't special ain't worth spit. I think we keep having them and adding more because of (a) force of habit and (b) the reluctance of anybody in this town to say "no" to anything, even if it's a bad idea, for fear of being considered "negative."
"A Malaria Festival? What a GREAT idea! We can have it the second weekend in August. We'll close off the downtown streets and have arts and crafts booths and food, wine and beer and some music performers! Wow, that's so ORIGINAL! So DIFFERENT! It's just GREAT! Oh, wait -- you say the second weekend in August is already booked for the Dengue Fever Festival? Okay, we'll have it the third weekend in August. It'll be GREAT!"
"Two of the worst elected public officials this town ever had."
Yeah, but give the devil his due.
"I think we keep having them and adding more because of (a) force of habit and (b) the reluctance of anybody in this town to say "no""
Welcome to the dark side.
I'd make a special visit to Bend for the Dengue Fever Festival...
>Do they always have to have it downtown?
For the U23 nationals this weekend they did need to have it downtown. As part of the USA Cycling rulebook for national championship criteriums it does state that it is required to be in a downtown setting. It did not need to be for the junior crit, which was held Saturday in the Old Mill. If they did not shut off the streets downtown Bend would not have been able to host Nationals.
So this is a one time thing?
>So this is a one time thing?
It is a two time thing. USA Cycling gives nationals to cities for two years.
HOWEVER.... this was the national championships for juniors, elites (almost pros), and U23 (under 23 pros). There is another event that Bend has tried to get - Masters (35+) Nationals. USA Cycling does not give the two events to the same city in the same year. Bend will probably try to get Masters nats for 2011-2012. I'm not sure on the rulebook for masters if the crit needs to be downtown or not. Arguably it would be better to have Masters nats here as bike racers who are 35+ have more money to spend than juniors and U23 riders. More masters would stay in hotels and eat out vs quite a few of the teams this week that stayed with host families. That said, it still probably wouldn't impact you in a positive way.
I just checked the map for this year's masters national crit and it is not in a downtown area. If Bend were to get masters nats there wouldn't need to be a road closure downtown.
Lots of valid points here. Yesterday I thought I'd stop downtown and do a little twirl around... came in from Greenwood and didn't realize the streets were closed until I got stuck trying to turn left onto Wall. We all scootched over to the right, sailed across the Newport Bridge, and that was that. No downtown visit. Nor did I know what was going on (no signage, no visible activity, just barricades).
As a former downtown business owner, I had a love/hate thing going on with festivals. Maybe one reason not much is said is because we (shopkeepers) are always hopeful that the next festival will be the one that does bring in the shoppers. You know, trying to be positive and optimistic. Even if you know another reality. It's hard to quantify the long-term effects. Someone watching the bike race might think, "wow, this is a world-class event, and Bend is great... let's come back in August" Short term effects: nil or close to. Few are thinking, "wow, this is a great event, let's come back tomorrow and buy a new set of cookware." But they do come back for the restaurant experience, and that's all good.
And, it really depends on what's set up in front of you. I always dreaded the Cruz because we'd have a gigantic truck/generator thing in front of our shop all weekend, completely obliterating our front window and any exposure we might have. Once during summerfest we had the central oregon version of "American Idol" set up in front, and that was the worst of the worst. Starting with the parents who leaned against our windows, smoking, while their kids belted out "Feeelings." The brave souls who did come in to shop soon exited, hands over their ears (no way to drown out the noise), looking a lot like the character in "The Scream."
On the other hand, last year's Pronghorn jazz & cooking stage was a winner (I think it was during Summerfest). It brought a really nice crowd in, there was a good connection between what they were doing and our offerings (that part is key), they did everything with style and taste (and kept it clean!), and we had a huge day because of it.
I sure don't miss that yellow tape. Especially on a First Friday before a festival street closure... trying to schlep and clean up all the detritus before 10pm so you don't get stuck or towed, ducking under the tape and running across the street with a big bucket of empty bottles and platters and trash...
They built that thing down at Brooks St. A plaza.
Which our city manager called a dead zone, attracting the juvenile delinguents.
Officer Grumpkie doesn't patrol.
But it was meant to be a gathering place. Put some of the events there.
If people are truly interested in downtown, they need only walk a hundred feet through the breezeway and they're there.
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