Downtown Business Owner’s Organizational Meeting
Friday April 15, 2011, 5 PM at the Wellness Café
Minutes:
Julia Tarr-Phase Two , Julie Streich-The Wellness Cafe, Sue Spencer-Struthers Library Theatre, Chuck Kennedy-Riverside Stitchin’ Quilt, Jim Douvolis-Plaza Restaurant, Harold Fyock- Gannon Small Business Development, Maria Lantz Frontera- United News, Kathy Johnson-The Point, Jaya Nystrom-NY Style Deli, Chris Cheronis-Gro-Warren, Jen Rossey-Warren Main Street, Dan Ristau-Ring Around the Rosy, Pam McGarry-Worth It!, Marjorie Lopez-Gro-Warren Board President, Sandra Pearson-Retail Sales Consultant, John Pearson-PA Wilds Artist
Next meeting: Friday April 29, 2011 at 6 PM at Warren Main Street Office
The group discussed individual and shared concerns regarding our businesses and the downtown Main Street area.
Out of many ideas 5 Projects were identified to Focus On:
1. Outdoor Furniture that has not been ordered for businesses funded by the street scape grant.
a. Lead: Julie Streich
b. Petition, Attend Council Meeting Monday April 18th, Emails & Calls to grant managers responsible for ordering the outdoor furniture.
2. Map of Downtown Business
a. Lead: Pam McGarry & Chris Cheronis
b. Main Street Parameters: Market Street, Pa Avenue, General Joseph Warren Park, Third Avenue.
c. Create a useful, attractive map that we all can distribute to our customers to help them find additional shopping and dining opportunities.
3. Farmer’s Market Collaboration
a. Lead: Julie Streich & Chris Cheronis
b. Move on to Second Avenue from parking lot
4. Open House Event slated for Friday May 20 the Kick off of the start up of the Fountain at the Point
a. Lead: Dan Ristau
b. Provide food and beverages
c. Featured items
d. Consider a punch card or receipts that would be punched with purchases at all downtown participating merchants and then put in for a grand prize drawing.
e. Visiting Artist/Speakers or Shows
f. Spot Lights to indicate participating stores
5. The Group: Establishing a Board to provide direction and leadership
a. Initial Board Members made up of downtown business owners
b. Re-establish Warren Main Street with a new board of directors
c. Re-evaluate the current by-laws and structure
d. Move forward
Misc. Ideas to bring more shoppers and diners to Downtown Warren:
Look at Events already planned by Main Street, Gro-Warren and the Struthers Library Theater and to see how we can work with them to support the events and promote our businesses.
For future meetings, using a Problem Solving Method to establish focus and solution oriented discussions (Fishbone).
15 Minute Meters in front of businesses that believe that they will be beneficial
4th of July Weekend Plans
6000 Geo-cachers coming to our area for over a month period.
Kiosk on the river bank where people are pulling their boats in to encourage them to come into town.
Census Maps show people leaving Warren are moving to other small communities in the surrounding area
Discount Days
Raffles and Give Away for shoppers who make purchases
Oktoberfest
Invite the Chamber of Commerce to join in our discussions
Work with City for Snow Removal from curb and clear sidewalks for next winter
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