Downtown Wilmington Advocate

Here's our first of February newsletter - do you have plans?

2012-02-01T08:43:00.000-08:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/February-is-Here---Do-You-Have-Plans-.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=eo0noyvErfY

anecdotal vs. empirical

2012-01-31T14:14:00.000-08:00

I’ve been thinking about marketing a lot over the past twoyears. As much as I would love to run “shopdowntown” ads, I don’t know how to measure success? In the past, the merchants have beenreluctant to participate in anonymous surveys. The Department of Revenue in Raleighdoes not allow economic developers to pull retail sales tax information forcensus tracks. The parking dynamic inour downtown shifts so frequently; not to mention that on street and deck usageis never reported on the same pie chart.

Parking utilization should be a good indicator and we havethe following bar graph that represents meter utilization. This represents the hours purchased at theparking meters by hours purchased with not regard toward parking deck usage.

The dollars are not represented because the rates changed over these time periods.

So what caused this? The economy? Well maybe, but ournew Wilmington Convention Center held its first publicevent in November 2010. In 2010,downtown saw a net gain of 14 new street level businesses. In 2011, we had a net gain of 19 new street level businesses. There was some growth happening inanticipation of the new convention center and other projects that were beingdiscussed.

From January 2010, through July, the Front StreetImprovement Project was going on, two blocks beautifully restored with all newtrees, streetscape and lighting. It wasa transformational project, as buildings in the area sold and beganrenovations, In fact, the city’s $1.8million project resulted in over $3,200,000 in private sector investment on thesame two blocks. Growth still occurred.

In the fall of 2011, the City of Wilmington began the transformation of North 3^rd Street,as a spectacular gateway to our city. Both the 3^rd Streetand Front Street Project resulted in the temporary removal of some meters, butthose parkers moved somewhere else, right? They didn’t avoid downtown all together, they just got moved alittle. That goes back to my mention ofreporting the deck and on-street together. This project too, should spur private investment along North 3^rd Street. Already a 150 unit apartment building isbeing planned.

This brings me to my email trail. Something happened and I think it may offersome anecdotal evidence as why meter usage decreased. I’ll explain the distinction as to why I feelit’s anecdotal and not empirical later. But I thought my email trail would tell something.

During the fall of 2009, I suggested that a group ofdowntown businesses and marketing professionals collaborate on a short termmarketing plan. The purpose of this planwas to drive traffic into the area affected by the Front Street Project duringconstruction. What evolved was somewhatdifferent. It was suggested we adopt aslogan, “Do It Downtown” as an “open source” brand if you will. “Open Source” could be defined as meaningthat everybody use this in their own advertising. The hope being that with enoughrepetition and awareness, people would be drawn downtown.

The hope was that several good ideas may foster and remainas ongoing initiatives, however I wanted “the plan” to be rolled out every timethe city does a major road construction project that will impact businessesdowntown. Others came in with their ownideas, and agendas. That’s not aproblem, it just requires a well run meeting.

One of the “ideas” was to get everybody saying “Do ItDowntown.” My response, “hey guys, let’srun this through a consumer focus group, make sure it works for us.” Knowing only enough about marketing to bedangerous, I thought to myself, it’s a double entendre – I’m not sure its goingto attract or encourage what we are trying to do here … but then again, thegoal of our original meeting had shifted to something else completely. At any rate, I don’t know what a consumerfocus group would have said, but I would have stood by it either way.

Well, leadership on my board of directors instructed me towalk away, and not worry about it … but wait; somebody is doing something Ithink might not work. “Don’t worry John;if these people want to market themselves this way, then it’s their prerogative.”

Well anyway, that first review of artwork was in December of2009. Look again at that graph above –is there any correlation between the use of the D-I-D slogan and the decreaseof meter usage? I don’t know, but itlooks anecdotal. The billboards, print,radio and PR associated with D-I-D began in January of 2010. Its not empirical, meaning we don’t knowscientifically that it had an impact … but it’s a correlation.

Until someone can show me empirical data thatsaying or using D-I-D draws customers … I would suggest you stop using it,referencing it … in fact, remove it from your lexicon. Anecdotal evidence suggests it might hurt theparking program … which isn’t good for anyone.

Those are my thoughts and mine alone ... what do you think?

New Businesses opening and a job fair

2011-10-14T07:23:00.000-07:00

This is really positive. Read this newsletter to read about the new businesses opening in downtown and the job fair that's coming up.

click here

Here's our October Newsleter -

2011-09-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/October-Newsletter.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=3WExaGnfOLQ

new websites

2011-09-28T06:50:00.000-07:00

We hear a lot of talk lately about people updating their websites. Websites are the new collateral material. As soon as it goes live, it needs to be updated. After all, once you've seen it, I guess it needs something new to draw people back.

I'm not going to pretend to know everything there is to know about websites but I do know enough to be dangerous ... and knowing that helps. One of my first obsessions in this job was to update our website. We chose a vendor who is a consistent supporter of the International Downtown Association. Actually, he found us. He had secured the business of Downtown Greensboro, Inc (who has now moved to a different vendor) and the Downtown Raleigh Alliance. Both organizations I have great respect for, and who's leaders I value as friends and mentors.

The day our site went live, I was bragging and bragging about how awesome our site was and someone said to me, "yeah, it is nice." I thought "nice"? Seriously, this is the best thing ever ... then I thought to myself ... what are the weaknesses of our website? It turns out I was not too pleased with our design. I wanted a site that POPPED, BANGED and EXPLODED off of the page.

Well good design is hard, especially if you don't have a brand or consistent message that you'd like to portray.This began the work of laying out a strategic plan for our organization. Tops on the list as voted on by our leadership: A Strategic Marketing & Branding Campaign.

So off to work we went. I can't begin to tell you how hard this project has been. To date, we've been at this since September 2010. No consultants, no high powered marketing firm, no slick big city professionals in blue jeans and blazers carrying brief cases. Just me, a white board and 70 different stakeholders. I knew this work would result in good stuff for us, but developing good creative is hard. We've come to a point where we have the brand positioning statement and that is huge. Everyone likes our tag line, but the creative can't really fit. We've taken at least four concepts to consumer focus groups and they have all been destroyed. Disheartening, but we must remain dedicated to the process. A good process gives good results.

So that leads me to a few of the discussions and observations I've had in the past couple of weeks. Two weeks ago I attended the International Economic Development Council's course: Economic Development Marketing and Business Attraction. I had no predetermined notion of what I might learn, so I went in open minded. Interestingly enough, they focused on websites. Here's why: for every one site visit a prospective company does, chances are there were at least ten internet looks online. Did you get that, ten people looked you over online before someone picked up the phone and called. During the summer of 2011, our site averaged over 6,000 page views a day. Imagine the phone ringing 6,000 times a day :-O.

This past weekend I attended the International Downtown Association's Annual Conference and Trade Show. Before we loaded up the Honda Pilot, I worked on developing a new site map (that's really hard). The goal is to develop a site map that gets the visitor to the information they desire in three clicks or less. Now here's our challenge, presently we average four page views per visit. Is that good (that our site is sticky) or bad because it takes too long to find what you are looking for? Like I said earlier, I know enough to be dangerous.

The other challenge with a site map is the end result graphically. Most print ads, no matter the size, have a limited number of elements. Too many elements (visuals) and the eye wanders and becomes confused. We must remain focused and remember "Three Clicks."

So some good news, a few downtown businesses are also updating their sites. Crescent Moon in the Cotton Exchange launched their new site yesterday. It's a very retail oriented site that offers online sales: a key feature for any small business. I hear others are working diligently on their's as well. We hear that Wilmington Industrial Development and the Wilmington Chamber are about to launch new versions of their websites. The chamber recently went through similar branding and logo initiatives, so it should look better. Me, I can't hold my breath, I've been working hard here to get ours done. I know they are all going through a lot of work - it's tough, that's for sure. I hope to have a deliverable real soon.

Stay tuned; and as that guy from King of the Hill said, "get on that internet man, and go click click click click."

Why Cities Matter - they are the greatest human invention

2011-09-18T17:16:00.000-07:00

Why Cities Matter

Downtown Company is hiring

2011-09-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Downtown-is-Hiring.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=9IO08divIqg

Downtown Survey

2011-08-11T11:30:00.000-07:00

We are conducting a survey and we're asking a bunch of questions. Well, not really, but some good ones. We're asking if we should charge the handicap to park, should we implement a smoking ban in downtown, what types of new festivals should we foster, etc. Take a couple of minutes, fill it out. use this link - http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e3n5vfc7glzkxe7e/a00vgr6qxzq3/questions

Here's a link to our most recent newsletter.

2011-07-16T18:10:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Mid-July-Newsletter.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=4SarqEP1LNg

Brooklyn Bridge Park: A Waterfront Transformation Creates Vibrant Public Space | Sustainable Cities Collective

2011-07-03T06:50:00.000-07:00

Brooklyn Bridge Park: A Waterfront Transformation Creates Vibrant Public Space | Sustainable Cities Collective

We've created another blog - this is the Official WDI Blog

2011-06-30T07:39:00.000-07:00

Downtown Wilmington, North Carolina | Wilmington Downtown Inc.

2011-05-25T14:01:00.001-07:00

Downtown Wilmington, North Carolina | Wilmington Downtown Inc.

2011-05-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

Downtown Wilmington, North Carolina | Wilmington Downtown Inc.

Crime Drops in Wilmington

2011-05-24T13:43:00.000-07:00

So the Chief of Police, Ralph Evangelous has been working hard to reduce crime. Sometimes banging his head against the wall, but he's made a difference in the past year. Here's a link to the Star News article that was published today.

Blogging update

2011-05-24T05:47:00.001-07:00

Sorry I’ve not blogged in a while, but here goes. It is very likely that our organization will have close to five (count’em FIVE) interns this summer.

I’m really excited, we have projects that have been moving at a snails pace and this summer, we set fire to them. Look for more blogging by me, more effectiveness from the organization, and exciting news to evolve from the process.

“What are we up to” you ask? Just wait and see – the summer of 2011 will be jammed packed with good stuff.

VIDEO: UNCW grads turn frozen yogurt into hot business | WWAY NewsChannel 3

2011-05-24T05:43:00.000-07:00

WDI helped open the third location in downtown Wilmington with our small business start-up loan program.

VIDEO: UNCW grads turn frozen yogurt into hot business | WWAY NewsChannel 3

New Grocery wants answers, fill out the survey so they can provide the right product for you

2011-04-14T12:14:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Mid-April-Newsletter.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=fG9MALvv6e8

Here's a couple of reasons why should EXPERIENCE THE VIBE of downtown Wilmington in the next couple of weeks

2011-04-02T15:46:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/April-Newsletter---Your-Chance-to-Win-a--25-Gift-Certificate.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=3UkM6LDN_i8

Here's a few good reasons to visit downtown Wilmington over the next couple of weekends

2011-03-31T17:17:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/April-Newsletter---Your-Chance-to-Win-a--25-Gift-Certificate.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=3UkM6LDN_i8

Proud to Announce our New Downtown Neighbor

2011-02-15T06:28:00.000-08:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/WDI-announces-new-downtown-business.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=tsehl4_uTaM

Key ingredients for a successful "social town center" | Kaid Benfield's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC

2011-02-11T07:23:00.000-08:00

Key ingredients for a successful "social town center" Kaid Benfield's Blog Switchboard, from NRDC

FREE PANCAKES, Skippy for Family Ties and a rejected NC Azalea Fest Queen - read on!!!

2011-02-01T18:30:00.000-08:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/February-Newsletter.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=rA6Olgf79z4

http://conta.cc/gf3ts7

2011-01-27T18:09:00.001-08:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Only-3-Weeks-Until-the-Downtown-Economic-Series-.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=r0_hcupwzdM

John Hinnant
Sent from my iPhone

Richard Florida, FREE PARKING, and New Years Eve Activities

2010-12-30T13:41:00.000-08:00

Read our New Years Eve Newsletter

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/January-Newsletter--Just-in-Time-for-New-Year-s.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=PlGoSLqSCFs

The Downtown Economic Series

2010-12-22T12:32:00.000-08:00

Click this link to learn about our upcoming event - this is sure to be interesting. Learn about the recovery, revitalization and economic development efforts in downtown New Orleans.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Get-Your-Tickets-to-the-Downtown-Economic-Series-Now-.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=Wuk8kYPQDe4

BTL: Downtown Concert Series

2010-12-16T18:08:00.001-08:00

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ulvFktnyjUk&feature=youtube_gdata_player

John Hinnant
Sent from my iPhone

Here's our Mid-Month Newsletter for Downtown Wilmington, NC

2010-12-16T17:23:00.000-08:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/December-Mid-Month-Newsletter.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=BWCh0aE0zls

The Biz Tech Conference is going to be huge

2010-12-13T13:29:00.000-08:00

I'm really excited about the innaugural Wilmington BizTech Conference - this is going to be huge. Richard Florida, Jim Goodnight and Mark Ververka will be speaking.

Click the link below to learn more.

Biz Tech

Retail Holiday Store Windows: Case Study Of Giving Back

2010-12-07T15:48:00.000-08:00

Retail Holiday Store Windows: Case Study Of Giving Back

SHOP LOCAL VIDEO

2010-12-03T18:27:00.000-08:00

I just found this - please share with your friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f91KQy44amE&sns=em

Recycle bins are in on N Front Street.

2010-12-03T07:58:00.001-08:00

December newsletter - check it out

2010-12-02T11:16:00.000-08:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/December-Newsletter.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=l4P50UFojpc

My Shopping Post

2010-12-02T10:42:00.000-08:00

During this holiday season we want to encourage you to shop local and SHOP DOWNTOWN. Downtown Wilmington has an abundant variety of diverse owner operated shops and boutiques. You will find some of the most unique offerings and quality products in downtown that you will not find in any other part of our community. Besides that – you’ll get the kind of service that can only be found in downtown.

These newsletters are designed to help you find something to do downtown. We hope that it sparks your interest to visit and shop downtown. We also want you to begin planning your New Years Eve. As you know, good results come from good planning. With that in mind, we will have another newsletter later this month that will feature several New Year’s Eve options in downtown Wilmington. Businesses, if you have a special, Prix Fixe, special performance – be sure to let us know. Use this link so we can help you get the word out.

Until then, WDI encourages you to have a shopping experience this holiday season. Wonder into the historic Cotton Exchange and get captured in the modern variety of diverse retailers. Find an artists colony in the Historic Chandler’s Wharf or one of the many downtown art galleries. Get a gift certificate from some of our hip apparel retailers for that hard to shop for teenager or young adult. Find shoes at several great stores throughout downtown. Get that skateboard for your kid at either Doublewide or Momentum. Get the old man some cigars at Cigar Exchange. By your parents a gift certificate to any one of the great restaurants clustered in downtown Wilmington. Find jewelry that will be sure to make her eyes sparkle on Christmas Day. Order flowers from one of our floral boutiques for your grandmother. Go by the Black Cat Magic Shop or Planet for your in-laws’ gifts. Or maybe – you need to get into the holiday spirit and go see a play – like A Charlie Brown Christmas or White Christmas. Hey, you can even rent a movie downtown now. Did you know there is a new RedBox at the Front Street Grocery? Check it out – 20 S. Front Street. You can find a multitude of things to see and do downtown – so check out our website wilmingtondowntown.com for almost everything going on downtown including the Season of Celebration.

Often people complain that there isn’t enough retail in downtown Wilmington. Well here’s how you can help. Presently, downtown retailers average approximately $200 in sales per square foot. When they hit $400 per square foot, you better believe the national retailers will be beating down the door to open in downtown Wilmington. A ton of things have to evolve in order for that to happen, but if you want a few national retailers in downtown, then you have to start spending more money downtown now. Begin by spending $50 per month in just three different shops. Tell all of your friends to do the same … before you know it, we’ll be seeing big name chains all over downtown.

Whatever you do – Find Your Place in Downtown this holiday season – we’d love to have you.

If you build it, they will come - #ILM #BIKE

2010-11-30T13:57:00.001-08:00

A Ribbon Cutting and Hot Apple Cider - yum

2010-11-29T06:43:00.000-08:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Candles--Etc-Celebrates-30-Years-and-a-New-Location.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=rkEGVzCHlYc

A sign of the times in downtown Wilmington

2010-11-29T06:36:00.001-08:00

a little note about how to have a great weekend - DOWNTOWN

2010-11-24T12:25:00.000-08:00

Check our newsletter out

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Enjoy-the-Weekend-in-Downtown-Wilmington-Starting-this-Friday-.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=S6tIoy-wLQk

Small Business Saturday is Sexier than Black Friday

2010-11-23T13:20:00.000-08:00

I hope everybody remembers to shop local this holiday, more importantly, shop downtown

The Gateway Project still has Life!!!

2010-11-19T16:20:00.000-08:00

Read here!

Flying Pi in downtown Wilmington???.

2010-11-18T08:32:00.000-08:00

Flying Pi opening downtown in Nov.

The Creative Class' Richard Florida on the new urbanism

2010-11-17T12:54:00.000-08:00

The Mid-November Newsletter

2010-11-17T12:29:00.000-08:00

Here's our Downtown Newsletter - please Subscribe and forward to a few friends - they'll thank you for doing so.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Mid-November-Newsletter.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=CYehGqt6hgo

The #preservation of St Andrews (Brooklyn Arts Center) is comin along nicely

2010-11-17T11:58:00.001-08:00

New windows do a wonderful job illuminating this historic sanctuary.

Busy Busy Weekend in Downtown Wilmington, NC this weekend.

2010-11-10T07:32:00.000-08:00

Click here to find out -

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/So-Much-Going-on-This-Weekend---You-Should-Probably-Just-Stay-Downtown-.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=xuKVR__rYOg

Gallup: nearly 4 in 10 Americans fear walking alone at night | Kaid Benfield's Blog | Switchboard, from NRDC

2010-11-10T06:54:00.000-08:00

Fear is an inrrational sense that something "might" happen to you - walk with purpose, behave as though you own the environment - these are your streets and nothing is going to happen to you.

Gallup: nearly 4 in 10 Americans fear walking alone at night Kaid Benfield's Blog Switchboard, from NRDC

Words That Kill A Sale

2010-11-09T16:49:00.000-08:00

Retail Sales Training Tip: Words That Kill A Sale

The November Newsletter for Downtown Wilmington, NC

2010-11-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/November-Newsletter.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=baFs_s5vYak

great events, a great coupon, and some incredible real estate opportunities - be sure to subscribe.

a note about the new ABC policy approved by the NC ABCC

2010-11-01T11:32:00.001-07:00

click this link to learn more via the Star News

Snip & Sip

2010-10-26T12:41:00.000-07:00

That would be a Ribbon Cutting Event for a New Business that happens to be a Wine Bar - click the link.

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/New-Business-Downtown-.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=bn61rgEVPFE

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Spooky-Events---New-Downtown-Businesses.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=nB3Rziz0doA

2010-10-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Spooky-Events---New-Downtown-Businesses.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=nB3Rziz0doA

This is motorcycle parking on Front Street, and yes you are supposed to pay.

2010-10-06T08:41:00.001-07:00

Wilmington Downtown, Inc. helps Crow Hill off the ground - WECT TV6 - WECT.com - Wilmington, NC news and weather -

2010-09-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

Wilmington Downtown, Inc. helps Crow Hill off the ground - WECT TV6 - WECT.com - Wilmington, NC news and weather -

Here's a link to our mid-month newsletter

2010-09-15T11:22:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/What-s-Going-on-Downtown-this-Weekend---Next-.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=gCzY8aK-iH4&share=fblike

2010-09-15T11:19:00.000-07:00

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/What-s-Going-on-Downtown-this-Weekend---Next-.html?soid=1102872219590&aid=gCzY8aK-iH4&share=fblike

Thanks Wilmington

2010-09-04T20:25:00.000-07:00

We had a great 16 weeks at the Downtown Sundown Concert Series - not
one rain out. You are awesome and we are already thinking of ways to
make it bigger and better next year.

Cheers!

'Coast Guard Update 8/3'

2010-08-03T13:52:00.000-07:00

'Coast Guard Update 8/3'

Video of the crowd tonight @DowntownSundown #ILM

2010-07-16T22:45:00.000-07:00

Tribute2McGraw at last night's show before the crowd really fillies in. The band was a group of incredible Nashville pros - awesome show

2010-07-10T18:35:00.000-07:00

This is Madonna Nash - she opened the show last night - she's going to be huge some day

2010-07-10T18:33:00.000-07:00

Commentator: "Smiley Face"

2010-07-10T18:28:00.000-07:00

Spicy Jane warming up the crowd

2010-06-18T16:40:00.000-07:00

2010-06-11T16:24:00.000-07:00

2010-06-05T16:54:00.000-07:00

BTL: Downtown Concert Series

2010-05-26T13:18:00.000-07:00

Check out this story by WECT on our Concert Series Kick Off!!!

Taste of the Town tonight

2010-02-23T08:09:00.000-08:00

This is a great event to benefit Historic Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, which is undergoing a major renovation right now.

Click this link for more information.

The landscaped median is coming along nicely #ILM

2010-02-22T05:41:00.000-08:00

Wilmington Based PPD - Pharmaceutical Product Dwvelopment - turns 25

2010-02-02T16:50:00.001-08:00

Here's the story from NC Bio-Tech News. Downtown Wilmington's largest private sector employee celebrates 25 years in business.

Web site Biotech Companies Jobs in NC
PPD Celebrates 25 Years

Wilmington-based contract research organization PPD is observing its 25th anniversary.

During the quarter-century since its 1985 founding as a one-person consulting firm by Fred Eshelman, PPD has expanded its services, technologies and geographic reach through acquisitions and organic growth. It went public in early 1996.

Today, the firm employs more than 10,500 people -- some 2,000 of them in North Carolina. It has 85 offices, clinics and labs in 40 countries.

PPD delivers a full range of discovery, development and laboratory services to biopharmaceutical and medical device companies and academic and government organizations across the globe.

Read the full news release

Posted: February 2, 2010

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2010-02-01T17:14:00.001-08:00

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDTAXkCBMS0&feature=youtube_gdata

John Hinnant
Sent from my iPhone

2010-02-01T17:12:00.001-08:00

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IgwH34_rpvI&feature=youtube_gdata

John Hinnant
Sent from my iPhone

Great media coverage for a downtown Wilmington entrepreneur

2010-01-30T20:55:00.001-08:00

Click the link for the story and photo credit - via Star News -

http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20100129/ARTICLES/100129616/1002?Title=Mark-Bryant-8217-s-passion-for-quality-overflows-in-workmanship-

What do you think they'll find?

2010-01-26T16:54:00.001-08:00

Well- here ya go! Look closely, the building in the background is the
Trust Building.

I took this picture of the trench in the Front Street Improvement Project. I was in front of the alley between the old Tom's Drug and Momentum Surf Shop.

The blue pipe in the back ground is the new water main, so I'll assume the big line running parallel in the foreground is an old water line. The question is, what is bisecting it ...

It looks like a sewer line, but I need to confirm. We thought yesterday there was an artesian well in the area because of the water pooling. But as a layman (me) I guess this intersection of pipes is likely the source.

I sent the Director of Public Services an email tonight betting how many more junctions like this we'll find. If we find at least 5 more, he owes me lunch ...

One Tree Hill Fan Fest

2010-01-15T17:53:00.000-08:00

One Tree Hill, which is filmed here in downtown Wilmington, is hosting a Fan Fest. I've copied the press release from the Tourism Development Authority below.

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Connie Nelson, Communications/PR Director                                      FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

910-341-4030, ext. 120 or 910-617-2370 (cell)                                                         January 15, 2010

“ONE TREE HILL” FANS TO MEET IN WILMINGTON, NC JANUARY 17-19

Wilmington, NC: On Sunday, January 17 a “One Tree Hill” Fan Reunion will commence in Wilmington, North Carolina where The CW Television Network series is filmed. Organized and planned by a fan of the show, the reunion will bring 30 fans from across the United States, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom.

The concept of a “One Tree Hill” (OTH) fan reunion first took shape when Christy-Anne Arancibia created a live online chat room for fans during the show’s sixth season (2008). A single reunion comment generated a flurry of interest so the Florida fan attempted to organize one back in March 2009. When that reunion attempt failed to materialize, Christy-Anne decided to reach out to social media and OTH fan websites. She also used an external registration site to register participants. Six months in the making, the “One Tree Hill” Fan Reunion is scheduled for January 17-19, 2010.

Fans will meet for the first time during a welcome orientation and group dinner on Sunday. Their itinerary includes a private tour of EUE/Screen Gems Studios; a motorcoach tour of locations used during the show’s seven seasons; and a dinner at Hell’s Kitchen, a location for “One Tree Hill” (The CW, 2003-present) and “Dawson’s Creek” (The WB, 1998-2003). Monday evening’s activities include viewing the current episode of “One Tree Hill.” Fans will also have an opportunity to explore the destination on their own prior to their departure on Tuesday. Several international participants will arrive early and/or extend their stays beyond the reunion dates.

“The fans are looking most forward to the studio tour," states Christy-Anne. When asked what one surprise would make the top of their wish list, she responded: "We would love to run into the cast and crew that give us this amazing show week after week."

Planning the reunion was not without challenges. According to Christy-Anne, keeping registration costs affordable and making reservations without knowing how many people would actually register were especially challenging. She praises the Wilmington area businesses that have helped make the reunion a success, with a special thanks to the Hilton Wilmington Riverside’s staff for their friendly service. Christy-Anne hopes that “One Tree Hill” is picked up by The CW for an 8th season so she can reunite the group of fans next year.

Wilmington & North Carolina's Cape Fear Coast is not only a great place to “Come & Play,” it’s also a great place to “Come & Film.” The region has starred in hundreds of film and television projects. Visitors can experience “Hollywood East” with weekend tours of EUE/Screen Gems Studios (www.screengemsstudios.com) and the Hollywood Location Walk, a guided tour of Downtown TV/movie locations (www.hollywoodnc.com). There’s also a “Walk of Fame” honoring local celebrities in the parking area of The Cotton Exchange www.shopcottonexchange.com). Free “One Tree Hill” FAQ Sheets are available at area visitor centers and online at www.cape-fear.nc.us/press/story_ideas/one_tree_hill_faq.html.

For a FREE Visitors Guide for Wilmington & North Carolina’s Cape Fear Coast, call 1-866-266-9690, or visit www.gocapefearcoast.com.

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NOTE TO MEDIA: Photo opportunity with OTH Fan Reunion group at the EUE/Screen Gems Studio gate on Monday, Jan. 18, 2010 at 9:45am. If interested, please RSVP to Connie Nelson: 910-617-2370.

Come & Play!
Wilmington and North Carolina's Cape Fear Coast
Wilmington • Carolina Beach • Kure Beach • Wrightsville Beach

Best regards,

Connie Nelson, Communications/Public Relations Director,
Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau
24 N. Third Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
(910) 341-4030, ext. 120
(910) 341-4029 (fax)
(866) 266-9690
email: cvbpr@capefearcoast.com

predictions for 2010 retail - via Metropolismag.com

2010-01-15T11:15:00.000-08:00

I am re-posting the retail predictions from Metropolis Mag.

It's a good sign, and consistent with all the things we are working on in downtown Wilmington. Click the link above or read the details below.

What’s Next: Retail
Posted January 13, 2010 Shopping as we know it is dead. Unsightly malls and big-box inefficiencies are giving way to a more sophisticated kind of retail as families and retirees increasingly trade the suburbs for city life, and digital tools seamlessly insinuate themselves into our daily rituals. “The world of retail is going to change more in the next ten years than it has in the previous two hundred,” says Paco Underhill, of the consumer-research and consulting firm Envirosell and author of the forthcoming book What Women Want.

ONE year:

UNDERUSED URBAN SPACES
“The evolution of the big box into urban spaces. One of the things that Apple, Best Buy, and Bed, Bath & Beyond have done a nice job with is having a fairly modest footprint on the street level and driving traffic down to ultracheap real estate in sub-basements and basements.” —P.U.

FIVE years:

MIXED USE
“When you look at the Time Warner Center [in New York] and places like Darling Harbor in Sydney, one of the things that you’re seeing is not a mall but an ‘all.’ You include commercial office space, residential housing, public buildings, public facilities, libraries, churches, schools—everything—all built into the same complex. It’s a much more creative meeting of public and private interests.” —P.U.

TEN years:

PERSONAL-SHOPPING BOTS
“You take your mobile phone into Ann Taylor, and you see a gorgeous blue pencil skirt. You scan it on your mobile phone, and your personal-shopping bot goes, ‘This matches the blouse that you bought three months ago.’ So you have something that keeps track of your wardrobe. It’s a much more creative use of advertising and the Internet as a way of getting you, at the point of sale, to open your pocketbook.” —P.U.

2010-01-15T07:04:00.000-08:00

A very good crowd for the unveiling of the National Underground
Railroad Historical Marker at the Orange Street Landing.

The Hidden Cost of "Free" Parking

2010-01-15T06:01:00.000-08:00

I saw this on the Raleigh Connoisseur

Here's the video ">link

So often I overcome objections on downtown parking and why people avoid downtown. This should give them all the answers they need. NO PARKING IS FREE. It always cost something, sometimes the people who can afford it least pay the most.

2010-01-14T12:36:00.001-08:00

Here's the rendering of the proposed new Riverfront Park near the
Isabel Holmes Bridge.

International Downtown Association Award Winning Pedestrian Art gets great media coverage

2010-01-14T11:25:00.000-08:00

There a great story on the downtown PedArt program today in the Star News. Click here for the story.

Back in September, when I attended the International Downtown Association (IDA) in Milwaukee, Wilmington Downtown received the award. We submitted under the public space category and were among over 80 submissions reviewes.

We're proud of the program, and it appears that the current installation is widely popular.

You Invited to the Zombie Apocalypse

2010-01-13T13:36:00.000-08:00

They are wrapping a movie about zombies in Wilmington soon. They are inviting extras to be zombies in the shot. No experience necessary, click here for more info.http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20100113/ARTICLES/100119875/1050?Title=Be-a-part-of-a-zombie-apocalypse

Building Ordered to be vacated

2010-01-13T07:47:00.000-08:00

Last night, about 6:00 pm, the building at 22 N Front Street was ordered to be vacated. The tenants had reported that "it felt like the building was shifting." The owner ordered an engineer to take a look at the structure and foundation and said the building was no longer safe.

After further investigation, it was determined that the building had seen significant increases in water meter usage. Apparently there was a leak in the water main under the foundation. So much so that the concrete slab adjacent to the building had collapsed in Bailey Theatre Park. So now, storm water has been flowing into the foundation as well.

I'll post pictures later, but the facade has come off of the wall about 2-3 inches at the top.

I spoke to Jimmy, the owner of DoubleWide Skate Shop a little while ago. He is waiting to hear what the landlord is going to do before making any decisions on his location. In the meantime, I have identified multiple locations that would be suitable for both businesses. the other business impacted was Old Books on Front, a popular book store.

Keep your fingers crossed in hopes that this building gets back in service quickly.

North Carolina Azalea Festival Pre-Fest Kick-Off Party tickets are going fast

2010-01-12T13:48:00.000-08:00

The January party to be at is the NC Azalea Festival Kick-Off Party next Friday night. For a printable flyer, click here.

Sleeping Booty is playing they also throw a really great party.

Go ahead and mark your calendar for the Annual Spring Tradition that is the NC Azalea Festival. The dates are April 7th - 11th. More information about the Festival can be found at www.ncazaleafestival.org.

Front Street Improvement Project begins today

2010-01-04T09:12:00.000-08:00

If you drove downtown today, you probably saw the barricades. Work begins on the North Front Street Improvement Project today. To bring everybody up to speed, this project will replace 100+/- year old sewer and water lines. Also, the City of Wilmington (at the urging of Wilmington Downtown, Inc) is going to re-do all of the streetscape improvements.

This means new asphalt, new sidewalks, all new trees and landscaping, new street furniture, new trash cans, new (and magnificently preserved) brick pavers. I know some will complain about ripping out trees, but we'll be planting more than we cut down. Besides, many of the trees on Front Street are the wrong type, and the roots grow out at the surface creating trip hazards throughout downtown. The roots have also wrapped themselves around the utilities we are replacing. The new trees are specifically bred to grow in urban environments. They will also have new tree grates, allowing for a better walking experience.

Why are we doing this, well the Vision 2020 Plan recommended doing all new utilities to support future growth. It also suggested turning N. Front Street back to two way traffic (which was completed in 2007). Part of that plan, and a subsquent 2006 Infrastructure and Retail Strategy Plan said that we needed to beautify our downtown; making it more pedestrian and retail friendly. And the obvious, we NEED to replace the aging infrastructure. If we had a failure or spill, things would be a lot worse than the impact this project is going to have.

So this project will do that. We'll be getting wider sidewalks as well; each side will grow by almost 18 inches. Additionally the sidewalks will be more level, and with the better tree grates it will feel so much bigger.

Tomorrow, Tuesday January 5th at 10:30, I'll be joining the Mayor, Bill Saffo, the President of the Utility Authority, and the contractor for a Ground Breaking Ceremony at Front and Market Streets. Later in the day, we are hosting a "Meet the Contractor" for the public, downtown business owners/residents, and anyone else who'd like to come by. The meeting will begin at 4:00 pm in the office of Wilmington Downtown. Click here for a map and directions.

This project will cause some hardships for our downtown businesses, but I remain optimistic. During the project, only about 20 parking spaces will be lost. Only one block at a time will be shut down to vehicular traffic. The sidewalks will always remain open. Many of these businesses have pedestrian based customers, so they need to still work on getting them in the door and closing the sale.

To help out, the City of Wilmington is committing $30,000 to TV advertisements. Wilmington Downtown has leveraged some media partnerships to run PSA's promoting downtown as a destination, encouraging people to park in the City's parking decks, and shop local: shop downtown. The City's message will be similar.

The city's signage for the project is great. They read something like: "IMPROVEMENT UNDERWAY - WALK ON IN". "STORES OPEN - WALK ON IN." You can see the graphic by clicking here. Everywhere you see a "no through traffic" or "road closed ahead" you'll see those companion signs. We at Wilmington Downtown also have some things up our sleaves.

We are working with various groups to promote different types of events downtown during and in the project. We want to draw people into the project to see all of the great shops downtown. We hope to have large original artwork on the construction fencing. We are also working with the existing events by helping to promote and encourage them to stay where they are.

Check our website often, we'll be updating it frequently. Also be sure to follow me on Twitter.com/JohnHinnant. I'll be posting any boil water advisories there, as well as progress reports (in under 140 characters of course).

If you are interested in sponsoring, coordinating or being a part of any events, please let me know - john@wilmingtondowntown.com. When these two blocks are completed, we'll be begging the city to get the rest of downtown completed.

Thanks, and Happy New Year - oh yeah, one of my resolutions is to do this more, so keep reminding me to blog.

X-Mas Parade on Front Street

2009-12-05T12:30:00.000-08:00

The Annual Wilmington Christmas Parade is Sunday night beginning at 6:00 pm. Best viewing is along Front Street, preferably by a coffee shop (hot chocolate).

we're number 14!!!

2009-10-13T13:56:00.000-07:00

http://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/industry_news_details.php?id=769

We've been ranked #14 for start-ups. The Entrepreneurial spirit is awesome here.

The Importance of Place Making - Right Now

2009-10-12T13:12:00.000-07:00

The Front Street Streetscape 100% design phase is complete, and I got my first review last week. They are okay, I was frankly hoping for something really cool, or unique. Besides, this is our last chance to make a really cool impression on the next couple of generations.

When I was in Milwaukee attending the IDA Conference, I sat in one session presented by the folks from Vancouver on their Granville Street project. They went the extra mile, and put recycled glass in the concrete as an aggregate. The end result was a sidewalk that sparkles when it rains. We have some interesting aggregate that is indigenous to our area. As a child, I remember scraping the shark teeth from the sidewalk and pavement in our neighborhood. The local cement plant that used to provide the aggregate is no longer in business, but it sure would be cool to have something like that in our new sidewalks. Perhaps we can find a way to add shark teeth into the cement as it is poured. This will give us a unique look that won’t look like “Anywhere, USA” and will have a truly unique aspect. This would be something a little special that the tour operators can point it out when giving tours.

One thing that has gotten some people fired up lately is the use or re-use of granite curbing. In the past, the city would keep all of the granite that was pulled up. In fact, there is a field somewhere off of River Road where this “stockpile” is. You see, almost every session I’ve been in, someone says, “Are we going to use granite curbs?” The typical refrain from the city staff has been, “it’s not in the budget, we can’t afford it.” Well in my opinion, if we can’t afford it, go find the money. If we can’t go get the money, cut the project down in size. This is a historic street, one of the oldest in the state, and granite curbing is a vital part of our urban fabric. Granite curbing exists throughout most of our city. Wilmington is home to the state’s largest historic district, and we need to act like one.

Granite curbs will take no longer to install than poured in place concrete. This project has been designed by engineers, who have tried to “value engineer” this project. Front Street is too important to “value engineer” so let’s pull out all the stops and make this project special.

Similarly, we’ve gotten feedback on the idea of installing recycling bins. You see, I feel it sends an important message to visitors when they see a recycling bin. It also gives the locals an option. Many of us recycle at home, and to be on the sidewalk and not be able to recycle is bothersome to most. You see, humans are a creature of habit. I know the experts will say, recycling bins in public space does nothing to reduce the amount of trash. Well it’s not always about the trash, but the public relations.

This project is going to hurt; there is no doubt about it. A few small businesses are almost always casualties in projects like this. But this reminds me of another session I sat in on. Jon Schallert gave a presentation on “Destination Retail.” You see, Jon found businesses across the United States that do huge numbers. Not big box or chain stores, but small Mom & Pops who do huge business. How? By getting that one niche, or providing that extra level of service. Jon went around and met all of these folks and asked them the question, “How do you do this?” Frankly I’m shocked he got answers, but like the old saying goes, “It ain’t braggin’ if it’s true.” Jon has developed a 14 point pyramid system to help you grow your business. You can learn more about the program at www.destinationuniversity.com and login with the promo code FREE9. He’s quite inspirational, but his point was … “if you’re good enough, people will climb over a bulldozer to get to you.”

I had a brief meeting this morning with a high level business executive in our community. She said “my problem with your downtown merchants is that they run their businesses like a hobby, they don’t work it.” And she’s right with regards to several owners. Our conversation carried on to complain that there is nowhere to get breakfast before 8:00 am in downtown. That is a real shame in my opinion. Do some of these people feed their kids, drop them off at school and then come to work? I know I do, but I don’t sell breakfast for a living.

Anyway, sorry to get off on a tangent, but I know the project will hurt. But the project is too important to rush, or take the path of least resistance. We must do this right. It must have charm, and uniqueness, and character. Otherwise, we will continue to dwell on other problems.

You may know the work of Richard Florida and Rebecca Ryan. Florida’s Earth shaking book, The Rise of the Creative Class has been a best seller and reference guide for elected officials worldwide for a number of years. Our on Chamber of Commerce is delving into the Cape Fear Futures program, based on the work of Florida’s Consulting Firm Catalytix, Inc. I saw Rebecca Ryan with NextGen Consulting speak at the International Downtown Association. I consequently read her book, Live First, Work Second on the plane ride home. What both authors tell us, to paraphrase; you must make your place so special, that all the really cool and super smart people want to be there. When that happens, companies will choose to call your city home. Why, because that is where the talent pool has chosen to call home. You see, the next generation of worker will find his/her new home based on a number of factors and guess what, the job is not as important as the cool place they choose to live in. [That’s a really bad paraphrase, but succinct enough I hope to make the point.] We have an important first step with the Front Street Project. If we choose to make this really special, we can position ourselves to improving our competitive edge and attract the future work force, and consequently, our economy. Always keep your eyes on the big picture and make our Place special. It is Place Making 101!!!

This Weekend is BUSY in downtown Wilmington

2009-09-25T12:29:00.000-07:00

So this weekend is really busy. The NC Azalea Festival is kicking off their year with a "Fall" garden party. The purpose of the party is to unveil this year’s artwork. I know its clear on the other side of the county, but the Festival is in gear and the committees are already hard at work. And you all know how big an impact the festival has on downtown.

That leads to downtown, here is a snapshot of what's happening, and I'll probably miss something ... so come downtown and snoop around.

Tonight, my very good friend Lee Hill is having an art opening. Lee is a commercial realtor, fellow pirate, a board member with Wilmington Downtown, and an all around awesome lady. She has been quite an accomplished photographer for some time, but now she is going commercial and having a big show. Come down to Montage Gallery on North Front Street tonight as part of the monthly 4th Friday Gallery Walk.

On the Fourth Friday of every month, there is a great Gallery Walk with the art galleries in downtown Wilmington. There is always a great crowd, the chance to meet with artists, and the gallery owners dole out a little wine and cheese sometimes.

Tomorrow morning, come down early, park in the parking deck, and just leave your car there. You have a whole day already planned for you. Start early at the Farmers’ Market. Only a couple of months left to get your fresh produce, jams and jellies.

Tomorrow is the bi-annual Downtown Wilmington Wine and Beer Walk. Couples tickets are $25, and you get regular portion drinks at many of the venues. At last count, almost 20 venues are serving up the vino and ale, stroll downtown and enjoy the many shops, bars and restaurants. You can get your tickets at the Front Street Brewery, Bottega Art Bar, and the City Club.

Also Saturday is Museum Day, so the Cape Fear Museum is FREE. Check out the Wilmington native Michael Jordan Room. Many of the exhibits have been updated, and the experience is great for families and others.

Saturday night offers a really cool experience for you military buffs. Battleship Alive is an interactive experience with re-enactors doing the daily duties and chores that kept the Showboat running in tip top shape. This is really cool, and your kids and grandparents will love it. Plus the Battleship has a really cool green screen that you can have your family’s photo taken with the Battleship in the background.

Sunday, after you shake off the cobwebs and wine walk you can drag out your grandmother’s armoire and head down to Bellamy Mansion. There is an antique appraisal fair going on Sunday called “What is it Worth.” The Bellamy is very well kept, and this is a good opportunity to see a marvelous home in great condition.

So I'm sure I've missed something, but come downtown and enjoy the weekend. I'll be here, I hope to see you too.

Blog-a-lay

2009-09-23T14:18:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in updating my blog since returning from Milwuakee. I have a ton of things to tell you about. Look for something here before this weekend. Look for future blogs about:
BIDs (Business Improvement Districts)
Green Space
Cool Streetscape work in Vancouver
networking with peers
etc

I really thought when I started this that I would be able to update almost twice a week but that has proven difficult. I promise I'll get better.

"Do you know what downtown needs?"

2009-09-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

One of our committees had a great session last month, and the result of the meeting was that each person was going to come up with 5 Things to make living and working in downtown Wilmington easier.

For a little background, when I tell people what I do, they often ask, “you know what downtown needs … (fill in the blank).” I always, and I mean always say, “please tell me.” Everyone has different experiences, and the diversity offers us the opportunity to improve … if we listen. You never know when that light bulb will go off, or someone says something that makes me slap my forehead and say, “Wow, what a great idea.” Not to be cynical, or a Mr. Smarty Pants, but I hear this almost daily … “Hey John, you know what downtown needs?” This will probably become the running joke now, but I will keep listening, hoping for an incredible idea.

Why do I ask this question, well I love working in downtown Wilmington. I’m close to my house, it takes me 15 minutes to get to the beach, in traffic. I have too many choices for lunch, within walking distance. I can walk on the Riverwalk to many destinations, or Front Street offers great people watching opportunities.

These 5 things were clarified, no one could come up with “just 5 things” to improve downtown, that’s why we asked for things to make it easier to live and work downtown.

You see, we deal with perceptions a lot, and often perceptions are reality. When the reality does not meet the perception, your challenges become really tough. So that is one of my challenges right now? How do I alter the perception that living and working in downtown is too difficult? You can substitute difficult here with expensive, dangerous, too regulatory, etc.

When you look at other great urban centers, you notice a couple of striking things:
1) They have awesome green/open space. Sometimes referred to a park (note the sarcasm font).
2) They have eye catching architecture, either historic or really modern and cool.

This weekend, I’ll be traveling to Milwaukee to attend the International Downtown Association Annual Conference. Milwaukee is one of the great modern urban centers in our country. Their mayor is so awesome, he went to the state fair and defended a lady who had her purse snatched. He got beaten up pretty good, but he showed great leadership and perseverance.

Milwaukee has one of the most eye catching architectural structures in the world. They also have incredible green space in the center of their urban core that I can’t wait to see. Greensboro, NC also has a great Center City Park. I visited that two years ago and was blown away by what a community can achieve when it is motivated with great leadership.

So, would green space be one of the 5 things for you? It is on my list. Studies have shown that a well designed park will drive up investment in the surrounding area, encourage others to live in downtown Wilmington. Year round residents will, on average, spend twice as much in their neighborhood, than those who work in the same area. It is an economic study that has been studied time and again, particularly in downtown areas. That is why there has been such a push for residential development in the past few years. One thing those residents, both new and old have said is, we need park space downtown. A new, should I say, Riverfront Park is definitely on my list of 5 things. We need a space where kids can run around in circles, fall and not scratch their knees.

A park will encourage additional residential development and those upwardly mobile, young diverse professionals to live downtown. Some call them the Creative Class, hipsters, cool kids, the new yuppie, etc etc.

This brings the chicken and egg argument. Developers will tell you, build the residential, and the retail will come. Well, we need some retail too.

Typical residential investors ask, “where do I buy my groceries?” A grocery store is on my list, although I’ll still listen when a fellow party attendee says, “Hey John, you know downtown could sure use a grocery store?” Of the retail shops we need, many could make the list; grocery, pharmacy, hardware, dry cleaner, and more apparel shops. That’s five, so a single commitment to more retail will work too.

When trying to improve residential development, one person or organization can do little to change the marketplace. But I am interested in doing a few things, like waiving impact fees. The fact that a condo developer has to pay nearly $10,000 to hook up each unit to the sewer system is outrageous. This is particularly troubling when you know that connection is about 10 feet from the new building. The sewer and water infrastructure is already in the ground throughout downtown Wilmington.

I’d also like to consider waiving or abating taxes for a number of years, perhaps 10. Other great urban cities have done things like this (Milwaukee, Pittsburg, [so I’ve been told, still working to confirm] etc). Something needs to happen that draws the attention of the developers, potential residents and possible commercial developers. We could even tie this proposal to affordable housing. Having working class families live in your downtown is important, especially when you consider the ease of access to public transportation and jobs in the area.

My next thing is an equation of sorts, balance stricter historic preservation guidelines with looser design regulations on new buildings. I think new construction should represent it’s time in place, not what buildings looked like 60 years ago. Let modern architecture and construction happen, it creates a nice and unique urban fabric.

My list is never just 5 things, but I ask, “What 5 things do you think would make it easier to live and work in downtown Wilmington?” You can see that I want diverse architecture, a new Riverfront Park, infill development incentives and more retail. Tell me what you want, seriously, I’m listening.

customer comments

2009-08-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

Recently I’ve been drawn to online conversations about businesses. Perhaps the United Breaks Guitars video really caught my attention. In my role as a downtown advocate and business recruiter, I am challenged by some of the things I “overhear” online.

My most recent experience was very positive; in fact I was being solicited for a reference on a downtown business that I support personally. I say that because I support all downtown businesses professionally. One of my Twitter friends was talking about his upcoming workout at The Urban Studios (a personal training facility on N 4th Street). I teased that the boxing class will wear you out. Another Studios patron tweeted that the workout equaled exhaustion and arm failure. Both the patron and I agree that The Studios have some of the best workouts either of us has ever had.

The mutual patron by the way is Chris Green, the GM at the Hilton Wilmington Riverside. Since working out at The Urban Studios, he has lost an amazing 26+ pounds. He even admits to not eating right and still being successful.

On the flip side of the coin is an unnamed ice cream place. A customer recently tweeted that the customer service there was the worst ever. In fact, he will probably not ever go back. Another Twitterer (always confused about that term) sounded somewhat surprised. Personally, I’m blinded by the awesome smells of the unnamed ice cream place.

Later in the week, I shared the experience with a few of my board members. One of the board members had some great inside knowledge and I’m proud to say, the ice cream shop will soon change. It turns out the owners are buying a condo within one block of the shop so that they can address the challenges they have. They recognize that they cannot provide the leadership and support necessary from halfway across the state.

More importantly, they recognize the value of good customer service, and they did so without me having to tell them about what I read online. Perhaps monitoring the conversations about your business online are just as important as watching the business from behind the cash register.

Remember, if you are an entrepreneur, or curious about moving or expanding your business, please let me know if I can assist. I work for the mutual benefit of all downtown Wilmington, so let our organization help you.

Front Street Design Session - Tonight

2009-08-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note about the Front Street Streetscape Design public input session tonight and why its important to attend. This meeting is to get final input from the public regarding the look and feel of Front Street once the design is complete.

As some of you are aware, the City of Wilmington is replacing the 100 year old sewer and water lines along the intersection of Front and Market Streets, and the 0 & 100 blocks of North Front Street. This work is long overdue, but well planned. While under the street, the City of Wilmington, at the urging of Wilmington Downtown; decided that a coplete make-over of the streetscape is also necessary.

Several consultants (planning, retail, etc) have all said the same thing ... "You need to improve the appearence of your streets and sidewalks." This project is going to vastly improve our experience on Front Street ... as long as we work together on the design.

This project is going to be difficult. At an estimated 8 month project timeline, many businesses will not be able to survive. This is going to be very painful, and not fun. But the end product will improve the pedestrian and retail shopper expereince. The project was originally slated to begin in October, but I fought like crazy to push this past the Christmas shopping season. It took lots of arm twisting, but I finally got many retailers to agree, and eventually the city agreed too.

Several design elements that I am interested in seeing include, but are not limited to:
the design and type of brick pavers used,
are we going to have recycling bins on each block,
can we get one of those cool fire hydrants like the one at Halyburton Park that doubles as a dog watering station,
are we getting new trash cans (my big pet peave),
are we going to get water hook-ups so that merchants can hose down the sidewalks in front of the shops,
what type of lighting are getting, and
are we getting post banners and hanging baskets ... to name a few.

So be sure to come to City Hall tonight at 5:30, the design part should be fun, we know the project construction is going to be tough. Let's be sure we are happy with the design when it is complete.

Taking a dip, into the blogging stratosphere

2009-08-04T08:01:00.000-07:00

I'm a rookie at Blogging, so here goes. Wilmington Downtown will soon be launching a new blog from our website. I writing this as a test to be sure I understand just enough to be dangerous. This site will eventually evolve into my personal blog, but for the next couple of weeks, I will use this as our blog posting site.

One thing I've noticed about social media, there are those who get it, and those who don't. The debates within our board have challenged me to think about what and how I use social media to carry the message of Wilmington Downtown. This blog will allow me to discuss issues, experiences and events downtown that don't always make the news. It will also allow me the opportunity to counter news articles where retractions, follow-ups and corrections don't always draw the same attention or headline (if they happen at all).

There are alot of great attributes to living, working and playing downtown. The key for me is to effectively communicate them is a an easy to read format, and deliver them to the masses. This blog will also be joined by a YouTube Channel, a new Facebook Page, and a new username on Twitter. All of that will be posted on the new blog ... coming soon.