Downtown Merchants Association Interstitial Version
January 3, 2003 @ 8:30 PM on WVIZ

Don't sound the death knell for retail in downtown Cleveland. As the number of restaurants, residents and other ammenities has increased, downtown shops are reaping the benefits. The number of people who visit downtown has increased 25 percent since 1995 and the consequential increase in customers has prompted a group of storeowners to form the Downtown Merchants Association. It's mission is to pool resources and capitalize on existing activities. Association members hope to be a part of the continued growth in downtown activity--and see a little growth in their own business as well. Tune in Friday night at 8:30 to Feagler and Friends for Julie Henry's Making Change report on the Downtown Merchant's Association.

Julie Henry:
FOR THE PAST 13 YEARS, DOMONIC FRANKLIN HAS BEEN ADDING A TOUCH OF WHIMSICAL COLOR TO THE LIVES OF NORTHEAST OHIOANS… AS THE OWNER OF A BALLOON DELIVERY AND DECORATING COMPANY CALLED “A PINK GORILLA.” HIS BUSINESS STARTED OUT IN THE OLD HALLE BUILDING… AND IS NOW LOCATED IN A NEARBY HURON ROAD STOREFRONT. IN CLEVELAND’S THEATER DISTRICT.

Domonic:
(uh) the main advantage for us is it gives us a central location for all areas that we cover, cleveland downtown is a central point.

Julie Henry:
DESPITE COMPETITION FROM A GROWING NUMBER OF SUBURBAN RETAIL OUTLETS… FRANKLIN SAYS BUSINESS AT “A PINK GORILLA” HAS BEEN BRISK. BUT IT COULD BE EVEN BETTER. AND THAT’S WHY HE’S TEAMED UP CLOTHING STORE OWNER MIKE LANG… NATIONAL CITY BANK BRANCH MANAGER CYNTHIA GRAY… AND TOM EINHOUSE OF THE PLAYHOUSE SQUARE DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION TO HELP CREATE THE DOWNTOWN MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION.

Domonic:
our main purpose is to, as retailers and other merchants in this business area, to kind of pool our resources and not necessarily attract customers down here, but take advantage of the customers that are down here from either a working or visiting, tourism, standpoint and let them know that there are viable shopping alternatives right here in downtown cleveland.

Julie Henry:
THE 50 OR SO MEMBERS OF THE “D-M-A,” AS IT’S KNOWN, ARE WORKING TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT UPCOMING EVENTS IN THE PLAYHOUSE SQUARE DISTRICT… AND TO CREATE SPECIAL EVENTS OF THEIR OWN.

Mike Lang:
when we're able to have this form of communication, we can therefore change our hours accordingly, we can take advantage of situations, work on projects together to make an event more exciting than it would have been, to create a buzz for our customers to say "hey, stay downtown on this date because it's gonna be awesome. bring your family, bring your kids down."
i've already adjusted my hours for events that are happening very soon and for the future, there's restaurants right around here in the area that are going to be opening in a couple weeks. we need to play off of that and be open so people don't say "oh the streets roll up at five

Julie Henry:
THE DMA IS ALSO WORKING WITH THE CITY OF CLEVELAND ON THAT PERENNIEL COMMUTER ISSUE – AFFORDABLE AND ACCESSIBLE PARKING. IN ADDITION, ITS MEMBERS WANT TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT ALTERNATIVES TO DRIVING… LIKE THE REGIONAL TRANSIT AUTHORITY’S DOWNTOWN LOOP SYSTEM.NOW YOU MAY BE SAYING TOYOURSELF, “THIS IS ALL WELL AND GOOD. BUT WHY SHOULD I BOTHER GOING DOWNTOWN WHEN I’VE GOT EVERYTHING I NEED RIGHT HERE WHERE I LIVE?” WELL, CONSIDER THIS. RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT IN ORDER FOR A REGION TO BE ECONOMICALLY VIBRANT, ITS DOWNTOWN, OR CORE, MUST BE HEALTHY. BUT D-M-A ADVISER TOM EINHOUSE SAYS DON’T HEAD DOWNTOWN JUST BECAUSE IT’S GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY… DO IT BECAUSE IT’S FUN.

Tom Einhouse:
what a unique place ... where are you going to go where you're going to see tower city, where you're going to see the theaters, where you're going to see the rock hall, where you're going to see all this fantastic architecture up and down our main streets. you're not going to get that at the mall ... the mall is the mall, it certainly isn't downtown. so it's exciting, it's eclectic, it's our culture, it's our heritage, it's new stuff, it's old stuff. it's excitement

Julie Henry:
Now for information on upcoming events in the Playhouse Square district… or for a downtown map, including RTA links and parking lots, go to www.playhousesquare.com. And if you’re a merchant interested in joining the downtown merchants association, you can call Domonic Franklin at 216-687-7575. And what are your thoughts on downtown shopping? We want to hear from you. Just log onto wviz.org or wcpn.org… click on the “Making Change” icon… then click on “Spit It Out”. And while you’re at it, let us know the economic issues that are important to you, so that in the weeks and months ahead, we can bring you the information you’re looking for. For Making Change, I’m Julie Henry.

“Making Change: Reinventing Our Economy is produced in partnership with the Center for Regional Economic issues at the Weatherhead School of Management – the dynamic, innovative business school at Case Western Reserve University. Developing the next generation of leaders for businesses in Northeast Ohio and around the world.