Commentary: Merchants Group Can Only Be A Plus For Downtown

It's good to see some downtown merchants in Rogers are taking a proactive approach to bring more people downtown.

According to a report by John Gore, the Downtown Merchants Association is pooling its time, talents and money to develop marketing plans. The group wants more people downtown to shop, for obvious reasons.

This isn't the first merchants association in town. When I moved to Rogers, Downtown is Uptown was an active group. There was much more retail -- it was a time when small department stores still operated downtown, as did shoe stores, clothing stores and specialty shops.

It was a very active group. The merchants advertised a lot, and sponsored Crazy Days, a huge sidewalk sale that was actually out on the sidewalk on a Friday and Saturday in August. Hot weather didn't drive them inside.

They were a tough lot.

Crazy Days is actually a forerunner of Frisco Festival. There was music and the occasional food vendor at Crazy Days. There was a year or two when the two events actually coincided, as I recall.

Crazy Days, however, faded away as merchants shuttered their businesses. Frisco Festival bloomed thanks to hard-working volunteers and the Main Street Rogers staff.

A merchants group has continued to operate during the years since, almost as an adjunct of Main Street, it seems. The group has sponsored a few things -- like the ice cream social that was once a Frisco Festival mainstay -- and been involved in holiday activities downtown.

Reading between the lines, it appears this retooled group recognizes the need to do for itself what some think some organization should for them. No reliance on a city employee, a Main Street employee, or a chamber employee.

That, dear readers, is good old American common sense.

If one is to succeed, one pretty much has to do it on his own.

Perhaps they have recognized downtown retail is all about destination shopping. In other words, I want X and they have it downtown at Y so I am going downtown. Perhaps I will stop at Z, too.

Not everyone needs quilting fabric. If you do, you'd likely head to The Rabbit's Lair.

The "in"-nest thing in decor is "retro." A stop at Red Door Vintage is a must.

Alternique describes itself as a "art and crafts supply store," but it has an art bar where you can do something arty/crafty. You won't find that in a lot of other places.

Yarn is the name of the game at the delightfully named Mockingbird Moon, which just moved over from Bentonville.

All we girls love us some purses. Valere Rene Handbags & Totes has unique options, and is a dangerous place for me. You won't find these bags in a department store.

Do you see where I am going with this? It is all about being a unique destination.

I don't know destination shopping will be the end game when the Gateway Planning report is complete, but I suspect it will play a major role. Hopes of attracting big retailers are pretty slim. They are going west, you can pretty much bet the bank on it.

Another interesting report from last week is the move afoot to develop the Model Laundry building in to a multi-use entertainment center. That seems a good use. I have seen big buildings where more than one restaurant is housed.

The only potential fly in the ointment I can see is proximity to First United Methodist Church, and that is only a problem because the state's antiquated alcohol laws prohibit the sale of the demon rum if you are too close to a church or school. I can understand this if were were talking a bar or package store, but a restaurant with no outside neon advertising flashing "booze, booze, booze"? Well, it just seems so 19th century.

First Methodist has always been a cheerleader for downtown, and I expect that will continue.

Gateway has a couple of meetings planned where residents can review the plan as developed thus far and make suggestions. Both are scheduled for Council Chambers at City Hall. The first is 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 30, and the second 6-7 p.m. on Oct. 2.

People should turn out and see what just may come to pass in downtown Rogers.

Commentary on 09/18/2014

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