Next plans for the Central Business District move forward
Over the next few weeks we’ll debrief the first Pop UP business project in downtown Shreveport as we make plans for the fall Central Business District event.
We’ve just finished two weeks during which 12 businesses were given free “room and board” in the Red River District with the intention of increasing downtown shopping and dining options and ramping up pedestrian traffic and vibrancy.
The businesses benefited by getting their goods and services out to a larger and different market.
The properties benefited by showing they were tenant-ready and could attract streams of customers. Downtown won with all the interest and excitement generated.
It was amazingly successful on all counts, but wow, it was a lot of work. It’s like that duck swimming in the pond, calm and serene on top, but paddling like heck underneath. There was a lot of paddling like heck going on, and it took some heroic efforts to make Pop UP pop.
Residents not even affiliated with the project said “yes” every time we asked them for assistance that we often had no business asking for because they want downtown to thrive.
When we realized we needed seating space, refrigeration, Wi-Fi resources and general kitchen items, Tina Palmisano of Ernest’s Orleans, Rick Kreis of Nicky’s Mexican Restaurant and Chris Anthony of Fully Stacked never turned us down.
Kreis allowed people eating food from other restaurants to use his dining space. Anthony gave Pop UP restaurants access to his freezers and shared his Wi-Fi signal with Pop UP businesses. Certainly the Pop UP restaurants were competition, but all three understood the vibrancy the Pop UP created would benefit their business, too … if not then, later. John Grindley and Lindsay Wadsworth of Cohab and the commercial kitchen called Cookhouse at Cohab were saviors, putting out fires on an almost daily basis. Never in its history has that space been so heavily used by so many at one time.
Two restaurants, two different menus – all co-existing thanks largely to the efforts of Grindley and Wadsworth and plumbers and refrigeration services and frantic calls in the middle of the night.
The good thing is that Cohab now knows exactly what amazing things Cookhouse is capable of and will promote the space to a lot of people who should be using it.
Shelly Ragle, Catherine Kennedy and Shreveport Public Assembly and Recreation in general are the most “can do” people you will ever meet. Never do they say, “Why do you need?” but “What do you need?” and “When do you need it?” Lea Hall Properties manages the Red River District leases so obviously they would be supportive of Pop UP but after receiving their 87th call for early morning, late night and weekend assistance, one might think they would be tempted to start ignoring calls. Debra Camus and Lynn Ford never did and always worked to come up with creative and quick fixes. Citizens National Bank got involved early, walking the talk on support for downtown and new businesses, which allowed the Pop UP to get off the ground in the first place. UnCommon Sense Marketing’s sharp Amy Kinnaird spent “behind the scenes” time with each Pop UP business, sharing all the ways to make Pop UP – and their business – stand out. Kinnaird is a great sounding board and is able to cut through the clutter to what really matters.
The Committee of One Hundred added gravitas and importance to Pop UP with their decision to offer one business free rent downtown for a year. This group of executives understands that small retail businesses are an integral part in the resurgence of downtown. Pop UP No. 1 was a resounding success – now on to Round 2. For more information about Pop UP, visit www.downtownshreveport.com.
Liz Swaine is the executive director of the Downtown Development Authority. She can be reached at [email protected].
