Springfield Business Corridor

[strider]

One of the things I heard from the business owners that had a couple of those businesses is that you can not depend on the community itself to support your business.  Bud told me that when he moved his business from next to the pawn shops down further to nicer digs, he lost a lot of walk-in business that he badly needed. The majority of the "regulars" at Epicurean were not from Springfield. Making a small, local business a success is very, very hard to start with.  Being sucessful in an area like Springfield in it's early growth state is even tougher.

To be honest, we can talk about the rents being too high or the community not supporting the businesses all day long and get nowhere.  The basic cause of Main Street being a ghost town is partly due to those factors, but also Main Street itself.  It was due to be redone, as it is being done. Everyone knows what happens to businesses when a street is torn up for a couple of years.  My sister's business in Ohio went through that same process and while her business is not dependent on walk-ins what so ever, the construction still hurt her alot. Everyone was waiting as much as anything.  If the economy hadn't taken a dump, then I think we would have seen a lot of activity on Main once it was done. Now, it will be a struggle and will need a lot more help to get it moving.

[FinnegansWake]

BTW, what is the second half of the story?  Specifically, why are none of the aforementioned businesses still around?  Can you please give us some details, Stephen?

From a customer's perspective and what I personally remember of some of those that failed or left SPR:

- Boomtown - awesome food. crappy building that leaked owned by a crappy landlord forcing Stephen to move downtown.
- Epicurean - $8 peanut butter sandwiches. seriously? $8?
- Pizza Maxx - awesome pizzas. Wasn't this a conflict between the owners?
- SPR Emporium - I bought a few items. But I am just not into antiques.
- Henriettas/9th& Main - my favorite place to eat and hang out, ruined by CVH
- Main St Grill/Bakery - $12 grey meat hamburgers on squishy white bread, always out of items, 45 minutes to get a forgotten order of fries, and the owners lost much of their core SPR support after slamming the residents in the newspapers.

WE know the outstanding businesses in SPR, and where they are located. But those who don't live in SPR drive through and still see blight. Kind of like when I drive through Regency...just get me through and out of there.

So to repeat (and agree with) what has already been said: cluster businesses, improve the ambiance of Main St, and look outside the neighborhood for customers.

Phil

[zoo]

A few photos of my business corridor walkabout yesterday, as well as some shots of the Florence Court Apts (now Section 8, once the Old Florida Hotel, and hopefully a better-looking, higher/best use anchor for the corner someday).


From Main/8th looking south at west side of street being prepped for capping.


Carl's


New sidewalks & brick insets

Pressure washing the Florence Court




Historic details






Misc





Trying to keep it clean...

[thelakelander]

Great update.  Its nice to see the Florence Court getting a bath.  I also like the letter tenant #212 put up.

[billy]

Who is current owner of Florence Court?

[uptowngirl]

Awesome pics ZOO!

I always wondered what Florence Court looked like inside, and I am not surprised to see the beautiful moasiacs.

Gotta love #212 handwritten sign, wonder if it works I could put one out front of my house!

[BridgeTroll]

Reading and writing lessons... room 212...

[heights unknown]

How about spelling lessons for the creator/author of that sign?  It's "those" not "thoes."

Heights Unknown

[thelakelander]

Zoo didn't make fun of anyone.

[jbm32206]

No, in fact it was the comment by Heights Unknown, that referenced the misspelled word...and IMO, the comment wasn't needed or part of the discussion of the business corridor. Let's keep things on topic people.

[jbm32206]

That would and certainly could work out

[thelakelander]

I don't see a tone making fun of anyone in the post with images, but to each his own.

But you know what?  If you kept the top floors section 8, provided an attractive exterior and opened up the ground floor to retail, there wouldnt be a damned thing wrong with the use of the building for affordable housing.

This would be a higher/better use of a major anchor spot along that block.  I don't think anyone on this board would complain if that happened.

[sheclown]

It would be wonderful to have the bottom floor opened up for retail. 

[Ocklawaha]

Kepenig tinhgs on tpoic and seplling croctrly at the smae tmie is ecerisxe for the cbrereialy gftied. But if you fnid you can raed tihs amolst as fsat as a croctrly sepeleld pecie olny tehn wlil you see the mnid gmae of the eelete. Frnakly I dno't gvie a Danm!

Oklwackaha

[strider]

Just a quote from a different thread, but goes to attitude among some that live in the community:

Can't wait until the government bulldozes all the H.U.D. properties.

The statement was made because the crime stats are higher for this zip code around "certain properties".  So this quote is asking and hoping that places like Flourence Court apartments be torn down.  There are some badly run or mis managed properties, but many do blame all lower income properties for all the crime. 

I think Stephen and others fear that if some of the more promient people in the community feel this way, how do you truly make progress? How do you convince that owner to get a grant, increase their costs and improve their property when the owner knows many just want them gone?