HISTORIC WALL ADVERTISEMENTS:

More and more downtowns seem to be appreciating the visual and historic significance of  not painting over advertisements on exterior brick walls.  As with everything else in the world, these type of advertisements are a draw for certain individuals and adds to the experience of the general public visiting your downtown.  

If you have similar examples in your downtown, do what you can to preserve them, instead of having property owners paint over them.  A freshly painted white wall will likely attract graffiti and not be near as interesting as the historic advertisements.

This example is from downtown Beloit, Wisconsin...

OTHER WAYS TO GET DOWNTOWN SPACE FILLED; DOWNTOWN BUSINESS STARTER COMPETITION

Consider having a local starter business competition in your community, judged by various local leaders who can analyze the viability of the proposed business plan.   While there are various ways to run this type of competition, the general gist is the entrepreneur submits a business plan which is reviewed by various judges and receives  a score.  In addition to the written proposal; the entrepreneur also provides a five minute "elevator pitch" which is also scored by the judges.  The written and presentation scores are then combined to determine a winner (or multiple winners). The winners then receive a "prize" which will allow them to open a store in the downtown to test their business.

 

Work with local businesses, banks and downtown building owners to provide a modest cash prize as well as free storefront rent for a specific amount of time to give the business the opportunity to take root.   

There are various governmental agencies that may be able to assist a smaller community in organizing and carrying out this type of event.  Learn from communities that have already undertaken a similar program:   (Monmouth, Illinois):   http://shopsofmonmouth.com/index.php/retail-business-competition-main

Similar events have also occurred in Highland, Illinois and Dixon, Illinois.  Growing your business base from the local community is the best bet for long term viability.

TAKING BUSINESS INTO THE STREET

Another "tool" local governments should consider giving their downtown businesses is  the ability to move part of their business onto the sidewalk.  Ordinances should not (without good reason) prohibit businesses from moving their displays (or samples) from the sidewalk in front of their business.

Even the most casual shopper can be lured in if their interest is peaked simply by passing by on the sidewalk.  Here are a few examples (again) from downtown Naperville, Illinois.  (Sorry folks, it's hard to find good examples in March, in Illinois)...

MAKING YOUR BUSINESS MORE APPEALING

Besides offering the best goods and customer service possible,  store owners should take the effort to make their business as friendly and interesting as possible.  A recent example I came across was a pet supply store in downtown Naperville, Illinois.  On its face, a pet supply store should be of little or no interest to children who are following their parents into a store BUT,  this store found a way to keep their younger visitors engaged.  Occupied / interested children translates into an unrushed visit by their parents.  Unrushed parents translates (probably) into longer visits and increased sales.  It's a little thing, but probably pays dividends for the business owner...

Besides the expected first floor window displays, a downtown can increase the downtown "experience" by making use of vacant second, third or fourth floor windows.  Here are a couple examples from Galena, Illinois...

Another great "canvas" for communities are alleys.   Here are three examples from downtown Naperville, Illinois...

Use closed up window frames on commercial buildings as another “canvas” opportunity (Dixon, IL.  example):

(and from Baraboo, Wisconsin...)

URBAN ART:    GO TO TUMBLR OR PINTEREST AND TYPE “STREET ART” FOR MANY GREAT EXAMPLES

• Encourage Urban Street Art throughout your downtown…not graffiti!  Urban street art is not graffiti; it is much more clever than that.  This is another “tool” that will bring the curious to your downtown.

• Turn eyesores into artwork; this opens a variety of opportunities.

• Work with local schools to find and recruit artists to undertake projects

• Get property owner’s permission (obviously) to “improve” the exterior of their property

• Work with local businesses to find urban canvases that can be used to showcase the local artists (walls, stairs, sidewalks, phone booths, utility boxes, opportunities are only limited by how clever local residents are).

Once you have artwork in place, PROMOTE IT, PUBLICIZE IT like crazy!!!  Don’t stop with local media, utilize social media, and send press releases to the closest major markets TV, radio and newspapers. This is not the time to be modest.   News outlets are constantly looking for news stories…give them a reason to write about your community. If you are going to all this effort, don’t be shy about promoting it.  Create a special event to unveil the project.  Be sure there is a commitment to make this a long haul niche for your community.  Turn eyesore into something of interest.  This WILL draw the curious and (among other things), become a destination for professional and amateur photographers looking for unique locations to take pictures

Even smaller down towns have opportunity to attract people to their business during "off peak" times during the week.  In downtown Genoa, Illinois a local winery offers live entertainment in its store on Sunday afternoons.  While reservations are encouraged; there is no charge.  Customers buy a glass or bottle of wine and are allowed to bring in food from the outside to sit down and listen to two hours of live entertainment.

Somewhere between twenty and thirty people were in attendance during this particular Sunday afternoon in February.  After the show; several people in attendance left the winery and went into local restaurants for an early dinner.    This is a great example of small attractions generating impact for a small downtown.