[OMS_MANAGERS] Events vs. Businesses

[Elisa Joy Payne]

Mindy,

This topic is hot in our Downtown too!  We have started by creating info
sheets for businesses about each event or series of events (ie.  Farmers
Market), including how businesses can best take advantage of the events.
I've attached an example. It hasn't squelched all the negatively, but it
helps us reach new businesses before the naysayers get to them.

With the support of our chamber, we are going to start a task force that
includes event staff and their boards to rethink events Downtown.

Would you be able share the data collection material that you used? It
sounds like you addressed a lot of the topics we want to ask.

Thanks for bringing this topic to the listserve!

On Mon, Jul 8, 2019, 7:25 PM Steve Poisson <mrstevepoisson at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi Mindy-
> When you say " I asked our City about changing the way the booths were
> placed to create a 'walk-way' between the brick and mortar stores and the
> booths, but I was told this was impossible because of the need to get
> emergency vehicle access."  I would think thee is a way to set this up to
> accomplish both goals- open storefronts and emergency access. We are
> looking at the same idea in Stayton, and even if the booths are placed a
> bit off-center to allow store access AND and acceptable emergency access
> lane it seems doable, though not yet proven by us.
>
> Interesting discussion and very timely for our situation.
>
> Steve Poisson
> President, Revitalize Downtown Stayton
>
> On Mon, Jul 8, 2019 at 4:52 PM Downtown Bend, OR <downtownbend at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi Guys,
>>
>> Thanks so much for all of your responses.
>>
>> Rob, our roles is to advocate for the needs of our stakeholders (building
>> and business owners within the EID), so we have no role in helping promote
>> events run by private event companies and hosted in our downtown district.
>> We gathered sales data from several businesses of various types over the
>> past 5 years and it clearly shows that for retail businesses, event days
>> are 30-85% down in sales.  For coffee shops (and some restaurants) this
>> isn't the case, but eating establishments only make up 30% of our Downtown
>> Businesses, so even if events are successful for all of them, it still is
>> the minority of stakeholders gaining a positive benefit from Class 3 events
>> in Downtown.  We made three classifications of events (Class 1 - events w/o
>> street closures, Class 2 - events with street closure and no booths
>> (parades, races) and Class 3 - events with street closures and booths).
>> Class 3 events were the only ones that showed a negative impact, based on
>> the data we gathered.  Class 1 & 2 events showed a positive impact on
>> business sales regardless of the type of business.
>>
>> Westly and Darrin, I asked our City about changing the way the booths
>> were placed to create a 'walk-way' between the brick and mortar stores and
>> the booths, but I was told this was impossible because of the need to get
>> emergency vehicle access.   How did you guys get around this?
>>
>> Also, do any of your organization receive impact fees when events take
>> place in your district?
>>
>> Thank you, everyone, for your help in broadening my perspective!
>>
>> Mindy Aisling
>> Executive Director
>> --------------------
>>
>> *Downtown Bend Business Association*
>> Talk or Text - 541-788-3628    www.downtownbend.org
>> 916 NW Wall Street in Downtown Bend Oregon
>>
>> *We are a nonprofit committed to increasing the vitality of Downtown
>> Bend.*
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Jul 8, 2019 at 3:53 PM Rob Dennis <bcddirector at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> It’s my understanding that one of the roles of your promotional
>>> committee is to help business find a way to make money off of those events
>>> like that. No two communities are the same so I don’t know how to do that
>>> in Bend, but I bet there’s a way for your downtown businesses to organize a
>>> retail event specific to what’s closing the street down.
>>>
>>> On Mon, Jul 8, 2019 at 3:08 PM STUART Sheri * OPRD via OMS_MANAGERS <
>>> oms_managers at listsmart.osl.state.or.us> wrote:
>>>
>>>> No data but attached is info on how businesses can benefit from special
>>>> events. What I have found is that there is a sweet spot – too many events
>>>> can be a challenge for the business community but some can be a big boost
>>>> in terms of exposure and marketing opportunities.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *From:* OMS_MANAGERS [mailto:
>>>> oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] *On Behalf Of *Downtown
>>>> Bend, OR
>>>> *Sent:* Monday, July 08, 2019 2:57 PM
>>>> *To:* Oregon Main Street program managers
>>>> *Subject:* [OMS_MANAGERS] Events vs. Businesses
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Greetings,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> We collected data from our Downtown businesses that showed that 65% of
>>>> businesses lose significant revenue on days that the streets of our
>>>> Downtown are closed and booths line the streets for festivals/events.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Our organization has been advocating to City Council for code changes
>>>> in regards to events in Downtown.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Local event organizers are pushing back, saying that other businesses
>>>> in other towns benefit financially from events closing down their streets,
>>>> and therefore it is the fault of our business owners for not "trying hard
>>>> enough" to benefit from the traffic that events bring to Downtown.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Here is my question to you:  *Do your Downtown businesses benefit
>>>> financially from events that close the street and place booths in front of
>>>> their businesses?*
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Thank you so much for your help!
>>>>
>>>> Mindy Aisling
>>>>
>>>> Executive Director
>>>>
>>>> --------------------
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *Downtown Bend Business Association*
>>>>
>>>> Talk or Text - 541-788-3628    www.downtownbend.org
>>>> 916 NW Wall Street
>>>> <https://www.google.com/maps/search/916+NW+Wall+Street?entry=gmail&source=g>
>>>> in Downtown Bend Oregon
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *We are a nonprofit committed to increasing *
>>>>
>>>> *the vitality of Downtown Bend.*
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>> --
>>> Rob Dennis
>>> Baker City Downtown Director
>>> 1655 First Street Suite 203
>>> Baker City, OR 97814
>>> Office: 541-523-6541 Ext. 106
>>> Cell:541-519-2379
>>>
>>
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