Could a Weekly Street Fair Draw People Downtown?

In an effort to draw people to Garden City's downtown this summer, trustee Brian Daughney suggested closing Seventh Street once a week for a low-key street fair, similar to the successful Belmont Festival but on a much smaller scale.

"I've taken an informal poll, certainly the board hasn't addressed this in any manner, but one of the things I thought might be something we should consider – and I'd like to hear from the chamber – is whether we should consider closing Seventh Street during the summer for one night a week in trying to do a similar – doesn't have to be to the same extent as the Belmont Festival – but similar to draw people into town," says Daughney. "That's something I would want to consider. I don't know how the chamber would feel about it."

Trustee Dennis Donnelly, board liaison to the business community, said through discussions with the Garden City Chamber of Commerce and the Seventh Street merchants themselves, the idea received mixed reviews.

"It is an absolute 50-50 toss up of those who think it's a good idea and those who think it's a terrible idea," he said. "Some even thought they'd lose business."

Chamber executive director Althea Robinson said she doesn't know why merchants wouldn't "grab at the chance" to draw in business during the slower summer months.  

"The Merchant Professional Retailers Group, in cooperation with the chamber, would be all for going ahead with some sort of a downtown effort to promote business," she said. "Once in both July and August might work. We'll have to see how it plays out. The village's offer to close a section of Seventh Street shows that we're all on the same wave length in this attempt to help promote business." 

One Seventh Street merchant wishing to remain anonymous told Patch he's pleased village officials recognize, and are pondering actions, to assist struggling merchants. He believes the success of such an endeavor would rely on several factors, including frequency, promotion, time, draw and participation.

"It has to be specific and regular, get people in the habit of coming," he said, cautioning though that the timing of the street closure could take away regular business on a Friday afternoon and scare some business away if closed too early.

He also believes attractions, such as live music or perhaps even pony rides, is necessary to draw people in and participation from numerous if not all the Seventh Street eateries is essential. "If only a few restaurants are open it'll look terrible," he said.

The Belmont Festival, which takes place annually in June on the eve of the famed Belmont Stakes, runs from 6-10 p.m. Merchants typically closed during those hours are urged to stay open in hopes of drumming up more business.

Trustee John Watras, who thought Daughney's idea had merit, said a weekly street fair would likely run after hours anyway and didn't think it would negatively affect business. "I think it would be great if you did close it up," he said.

Mayor Robert Rothschild agreed. "If some stores are going to be closed that's ok but if it can aid and assist the restaurants … then we should consider it," he said.

Deputy Mayor Don Brudie said trying this out during the summer would be a waste of time. "There's a dearth of people here during the summer," he said. "Maybe starting in September while the weather is still mild, maybe September and October, and again in the spring, but I don't think the summer would be a great idea. And the merchants recognize that too. They want to get away on a Friday night … There are a lot of people who are away."

John Wilton, chair of the Garden City Merchants, Professionals & Retailers group, works at Seventh Street's Garden City Properties. He personally polled merchants and said they seem "evenly divided."

"There are those, particularly food, who would be more pro than the non-food entities," says Wilton. "Philosophically the best methodology would be to have a consortium of merchants collectively join together and get rolling. They contribute funds for band(s), entertainment, prix fixe dinners, etc. … All only works when and if we get 'team spirit.'"

Wilton said unequivocally the Garden City Merchants, Professionals & Retailers group would be "1000 percent" behind the endeavor. "Again, as we realize results only come from effort. In the daily grind of rent, marketing, vendors/suppliers, employee relations and the economy, [it's] sometimes hard for merchants to focus on 'the future,'" he said.