I was invited by the Downtown Frederick Partnership to address their local merchants this past week. In addition to a speech, I worked one-on-one with eight businesses as a mini-makeover. I rarely write about clients but felt compelled to for several reasons.
First and foremost, what is going on in America can be seen on Market St and the surrounding businesses.
No mention of SBA loans, socialism, AIG bonuses, or whining for bailouts. From yoga studio, toy store, furniture, gift, market, pet supply and hair studio they were only interested in what could they do better.
Yes, one guy tried to make his success dependent on how well the city was marketed but my answer to him was that you have to make the city an exceptional experience. That’s what will build word-of-mouth marketing. Jut like a business, you can’t just take out an ad saying, “Come to Frederick;” you have to earn it.
What is so right with Frederick is that you have a town with a history, a personality and a synergy. In the middle of the historic Market Street, you discover a large picture of the town with Union soldiers being welcomed. A paragraph later you find out the Confederates captured the city a few weeks later and ransomed it for $200,000 or they would torch it.
The banks all chipped in and saved the town, delivering bushel baskets of money at the corner of 2nd and Market St. They didn’t look to the government or anyone else; if they were going to save their city, it was up to them. (In that same spirit, PNC Bank felt so strongly about bringing me out that they underwrote the entire operation.)
Carroll Creek park
Floodwaters descended on the historic area several times and the city had to decide whether or not to abandon downtown. They decided to stick it out and make it work which resulted in a creekside park.
Strolling down Market Street in Frederick, I considered the miscues that could have been taken under the guise of “urban renewal;” like moving all the city services out. They all remain in the historic downtown including the courts and the main library to keep the heart of the town relevant and draw traffic.
Contrast that to the “tear it down” mindset of the sixties or farther back, civic leaders like those in Detroit who tried to draw people away from downtown with the Detroit train station that has since been abandoned because it was isolated.
An organic retail space thrives with vibrant restaurants and interesting shops for the daytime population of 10,000. Sure, in California you could create a “mixed use” space with a giant planogram to engineer a façade of Main Street with big chains like GAP, Subway and Michaels. But here you actually get it with independent retailers; just like one hundred years ago.
Tabletop store on Patrick St.
Two Paws Up on Carroll St.
Frederick is one of hundreds of Main Street Programs throughout the United States. These programs revitalize central business districts of cities and towns with assistance from the Main Street Center of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
One of Frederick’s popular programs are their “First Saturdays” where stores stay open late. Note: not a craft fair or something being brought in – the local merchants are putting on a united front to make coming downtown Saturday night profitable for all.
Many downtowns struggle with street parking and Frederick is no exception. With two-hour meters, people often get tickets – heck I even got one. But they do have four parking structures not far off the main drag and are building a fifth.
When you go there, you have to try Black Hog BBQ simply the best. They were packed and only open 9 months. Also the Tasting Room had the best crab cakes I ever tasted. The NY Times had a good profile on the town last fall.
Yes it would be nice if they offered free wi-fi in the entire downtown area, better signage and more merchants visible on the web. But for now, I think they are poised for greatness.
One more thing, the local paper the Frederick New-Post publicized the event in advance so my event drew a large crowd, and they covered it afterwards. This is what I experienced with the event sponsored by the Oregonian in Portland a few weeks ago. To mobilize a group of business owners, you have to lay seeds, integrate the event with multiple groups and you come out with success. Contrary to all the hype, newspapers can still deliver that – if they want to. You want to go the way of the dinosaur newspapers, focus on the junk of society – you want to grow – get involved in helping business.
Frederick is the face of American small business, mom and pop businesses trying to ignore the negative nabobs of negativism in the media, take care of their customers and grow their business; the very best of America.
I’ll be writing more about the lessons learned in Frederick in my monthly newsletter; signup here.
2 Comments
April 1, 2009 at 7:23 am
You may not often write about clients, but I urge you to continue when you have such a positive and uplifting report. I do enjoy reading about your bad experiences and I do learn what not to do. But it is even more inspiring and informative to read about what a business is doing right. Keep it up!
April 1, 2009 at 7:30 am
Thanks Peggy. As you can tell I’m sure, I myself was uplifted by what I found! Thanks for reading!