Attracting Major Corporations

[Prankster]

because there is NO shopping DT, lets face it, its the truth (besides a few niche stores)

Amen to that.

[Veloise]

because there is NO shopping DT, lets face it, its the truth (besides a few niche stores)

Why do DT conventioneers need to go shop at Sears-Penneys-Marshall Fields-teenage accessory places-gym shoes-Gap-Vic's Secret -food court stores (your typical Taubman Mall lineup)? Don't they have those back in Novi or Southfield or Schaumberg?

I would think that conventioneers would loove Little Bohemia and the new market store and the DT bookstore.

(Story about the tandem rally and chain-based coffee forthcoming.)

[disclaimer: I have been to that stooopid mall all of twice]

[AlexPKeaton]

Well, if they want to ride the bus to the mall, apparently they do want that stuff. Downtown is a great place to have some niche stores, but it helps to have them mixed in with the bigger, more recognizable stores. A diverse selection of stores is a good thing.

I think we really need a few good streetwalls lined with shops though. Right now, other than Monroe Center, no downtown street is totally lined with storefronts. We need an unbroken line of stores to really get things hopping downtown, and fixing that stupid wall would be a great start!

-nb

[GRDadof3]

Why do DT conventioneers need to go shop at Sears-Penneys-Marshall Fields-teenage accessory places-gym shoes-Gap-Vic's Secret -food court stores (your typical Taubman Mall lineup)? Don't they have those back in Novi or Southfield or Schaumberg?

I would think that conventioneers would loove Little Bohemia and the new market store and the DT bookstore.

(Story about the tandem rally and chain-based coffee forthcoming.)

[disclaimer: I have been to that stooopid mall all of twice]

I wonder if anyone has done a demographic study of the conventioneers downtown? Looking at that list, I don't know that Little Bohemia would be up their alley. A shiny new two-story mall on the other hand...

Seems like that would be invaluable info to have.

But on that note, I think this topic has trailed off a bit from "attracting corporations".

[Veloise]

I wonder if anyone has done a demographic study of the conventioneers downtown? Looking at that list, I don't know that Little Bohemia would be up their alley. A shiny new two-story mall on the other hand...

Despite their apparent tendency to need their fungal infections cleared up and their potential interest in senior housing, the button collectors would have enjoyed Little Bohemia. Many of the booths and vendors were selling/wearing button bracelets, and a huge amount of LB is beads (which are just buttons drilled all the way through). And the market has some run-of-the-mill grocery items combined with exotica (baked goods, imported chocolates). Riverbank can be a multi-hour destination.

If you list an event on the convention schedule as "get on the bus to go shopping," the people will be lined up waiting for it. It could just as well go to DT Rockford or the nearest Fred's. Window shopping is a viable option too, but it does not require a bus, and the convention packets don't include a DT walking map with convenient routes and destinations.

MTR story: long-time buddy, a fellow exhibitor, brings his meager display in, sets it up. He's from Portland Ore. Starts asking about the nearest Starbucks. (This was a year ago, before the one opened right there at the AGP.) I said try Four Friends right up the street; SB is probably a 30-minute ride (thinking of Knapp's Corner) and we open the displays in an hour. He says but I loooove SB, I have their WiFi. I said the Friends have WiFi and it's free. He goes on about how the baristas at the local SB are his friends, yadda yadda. (Did I mention he was from the west coast? Flew in with a folding bike.) I said FF is 50 steps away and they have good coffee. Discussion ended.

I finshed setting up my booth and walked up to Sam to grab lunch, and to FF for coffee. There sat Rob, happily typing away. "Hey! They have Wifi here! And it's free! And the coffee's good!" See ya back at the expo hall, I said.

I think that the DT alliance needs to broadcast its existing treasures and build demand for those streets-lined-with-retailers.

Oh, wait. I forgot. Keep it a secret.