READER COMMENT #1
Nakape@aol.com wrote:
Wow, Dave...if only such research were done whenever Shorewood was considering investing time, money, and energy in a major project instead of assuming that no plans must ever change or be altered once they spring forth (D2D anyone?). Clearly, a few hours (more?) of your time elicited some worthwhile information to consider.
That said, my take on this is that to a certain extent, businesses should be prepared to spend money on promoting themselves, and one way to do that is to be willing to lose business in order to create goodwill and draw attention to a business district. My husband is an antiques dealer who has done particular antique shows and lost money if you weigh his sales against his time and expenses but he'll declare the day a success if he handed out cards and made friends--it's this attitude that has kept his business going since 1962 in one form or another. When he had a shop on First Ave. in NYC, he opened it for the NYC Marathon Sunday each year even though he rarely made money that day and normally wasn't open on Sundays. He'd open the doors, have refreshments available, give directions to any tourists wandering in (and direct them to the great eateries on First Ave.), and cheer on the runners. His purpose was to draw attention to his shop, to what an exciting and friendly place First Avenue is and to continue to build his connections to his neighboring business owners. He says that if he had a shop in Shorewood, he'd capitalize on the event by having a special bike race sale, discount, feature, or promotion ("bike burgers! Race Day Special!" or "15% off everything in stock to anyone who comes here by bike or foot instead of by car!")--he'd find a clever and fun way to tie in to the event. Sure, there's overtime for the police but there is for any big neighborhood event, isn't there?
Ultimately, I think it's up to the businesses in Shorewood to decide whether this particular event has more positives than negatives for them overall, and to weigh how best to help boost the district's profile, traffic, and business. I also suspect that for each car-addicted grouch who declares he won't come back to the Shorewood business district after suffering the enormous inconvenience of blocked traffic for 1 day out of 365, there are more people who think to themselves, "How cool that all these local businesses are a part of this" and who make a point of patronizing the businesses who support our community (I know we do).
--Nancy Peske Darrow
RESPONSE
Hello Nancy
Thank you for taking the time to send your thoughts on my Criterium posting.
I absolutely agree with you that businesses have to spend money on promotion --- it Does take money to make money !
I think your husband is right on target regarding the NYC Marathon --- but the analogy doesn't fit with the Criterium Bike Race.
The Marathon is unique --- only one NYC Marathon, and you have to be there, in New York City, and on that ONE race route on that ONE day--- whereas the Shorewood Criterium is actually only one stop of many Criteriums in the area ---
Listed here are the dates of the Criterium in the various nearby communities, surrounding our date in July:
July 9th Menasha
July 10th Manitowoc
July 11th East Troy
July 12th Burlington
July 13th Hales Corners
July 14th Shorewood
July 15th Milwaukee - Schlitz Park
July 16th Waukesha
July 18th Hartford
July 19th Milwaukee - Lakefront
July 20th DePere
July 21st Sheboygan
July 22nd Kenosha
July 23rd Milwaukee - Downer Ave
July 24th Whitefish Bay
Obviously, this is not a unique event which showcases Shorewood. Its draw to spectators is diluted at best.
And by the sheer number of races and the various communities having them --- this is NOT a Shorewood Community event.
The Criterium is a "quick and dirty" way for the BID to try to show they are doing something with all of our tax money they are spending. Much as Roundy's will pay a food manufacturer like Del Monte or a similar company to "private label" something like Roundy Brand Green Beans --- the BID is taking something that someone else's is doing, and trying to "private label" it as a Shorewood event.
Ultimately --- you and I totally agree that "it's up to businesses in Shorewood to decide whether this event is more positive than negative --- and that was the purpose of my survey, which showed that the Negatives far outweigh the Positives --- now the question is whether the Village Board will pay any attention to the businesses ?
Dave
READER COMMENTS #2
Peter Kazaks wrote:
Hi Dave--
Interesting post on the economic impact of the Shorewood Criterium. I
walked over from my home on Woodburn street and met a group of friends to
watch the race. I spoke with Andrew McCabe in front of his Allstate office
and stopped in at Pick 'n' Save deli to buy some food to eat while I
watched. It is disappointi
