Right Now Downtown

Spoonful: Lovin’ Vinyl

Brett Ruland is making lemonade outta lemons.  After being laid off from his graphic design job, Ruland decided to follow his passion.  As a lifelong record collector, he was struck by the reemergence of “vinyl” on the music scene and decided that now was the time to open a retail vintage record store.  Spoonful Records opened at 116 E. Long Street on July 17.

But Spoonful is more than just a record store; Ruland envisions a lifestyle store that touches on a number of his interests.  Think vintage pinball, live bands, t-shirts, plus, of course, records.  Though he originally planned to carry only vintage records, he also stocks new music that is being released on vinyl.

“I am just trying to make the store about what I like.  I figure if I like it, then maybe other people will like it too.  I want the store to be a place to hang out, a place to have a conversation.  In a time so focused on technology, this will be a place to hang out, where you don’t know who you’ll bump into.”

Ruland believes that fans of vinyl feel like the music has a warmer sound and that you are “closer to the band.”  He knows others collect records for the covers, many of which are true works of art.  He has already seen a lot of interest in his store, with fans on Facebook and others popping into his storefront asking questions.

Though he looked at locations around the city, he decided that downtown was where he wanted to be.  He noticed the reemergence of retail on Gay Street and hopes that along with B1 Bicycles, Spoonful will ramp things up on Long Street.

“I like all the activity, excitement and buzz.  There’s just something about downtown, and I want to seek that out.  Plus, there’s a good mix of students and business people who want to collect records.”

He has been in touch with Kacey Campbell Brankamp, Retail Recruiter for Capital Crossroads SID who has helped with available resources and promotion of the store opening. After learning about the City’s matching funds for storefront improvements, Ruland is looking into applying for funds, once he is sure what type of signage he would like.

Capital Crossroads welcomes Spoonful and these other businesses that have opened recently:  Si Senor Sandwiches & More, the Downtown Alternative High School Restaurant, Justin Harvey Clothing Store, Verizon Wireless and Pickles Deli.

The Downtown LIVE summer concert series returned June 10 to the Darbys patio at the corner of Third and State streets.  The Capital Crossroads-sponsored free outdoor concert series kicked off with the unparalleled sounds of Conspiracy.  Again this year, those who head over early for happy hour, which starts at 4:30 p.m., can enjoy an opening act.  Matt Munhall entertained the early birds on opening night.

Ever since Thursday night became the unofficial start of the weekend, revelers have been able to enjoy free outdoor concerts to celebrate a warm summer’s night downtown.  Those willing to date themselves admit that they used to hit Rally in the Alley.  Earlier this decade, the Rally was revitalized as Party on State.  And for the past few years the revamped Downtown LIVE has offered a great way to unwind after work with food and drink specials and the best in local and regional bands.

This year’s line-up, coordinated by CCSID staff and Class Act Entertainment, offers something for every musical taste.  Each week a new band will hit the stage, including favorites such as The Menus, Reaganomics and Red Wanting Blue.  In addition to Muhnall, Alex White and Francisco Rojas join the opening act rotation.  While the tunes change weekly, the schedule stays the same with music, food and drink specials, and fun from 4:30 to 9 p.m.  For a complete band line-up, click here.

Downtown LIVE also provides the soundtrack for the Capitol Square Kickball League.  Players can kick head over before or after their games for food, drinks, music and fun, rounding out a fun evening downtown.

This year, Capital Crossroads secured a media sponsor for the event in WCBE.  Listeners to WCBE will be updated on the weekly band line-up (along with information regarding Pearl Market) three times a day.  This is a significant sponsorship worth roughly $22,000.  In addition, a local media push has garnered increased interest in both Downtown LIVE and the Market.  News crews from Fox/ABC WSYS and 10TV covered the Market’s opening and 10TV had a crew at Downtown LIVE’s opening night with Chris Bradley giving his weather reports on site.  Media attention should result in bigger crowds at all the downtown events this summer.

Capital Crossroads kicked off its summer programming with the return of the ever-popular Pearl Market to the Pearl and Lynn Street alleys on May 18.  Sponsored by WCBE 90.5 and managed by Capital Crossroads, the Market runs on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., May through October.  This season of Pearl Market is bursting at the seams, with more farmers (27) participating than ever before and more than 40 merchants.

The farmers’ fantastic offerings, including asparagus, greens, herbs, peas, green beans, radishes, strawberries, plants, flowers and, later in the season, sweet corn, tomatoes, squash and apples, remain a big draw.

“People realize the importance of purchasing food that is locally grown,” explained Adam Schroeder, Pearl Market Manager.  “Shoppers get to know farmers who grow their food, they get to support area merchants and they really learn the benefits of buying local.”

The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission recently released the region’s first Central Ohio Local Food Assessment and Plan, which highlights the importance of having fresh, local, healthy food available to all neighborhoods in Central Ohio.  Executive Director of MORPC, Chester R. Jourdan, Jr., addressed the crowds on opening day of the Market, emphasizing that Pearl Market’s offerings fit right into this “locavore” movement.

Joining some returning vendor favorites, such as Great Harvest Bread Co., 3 Babes & a Baker, Sweet Thing Gourmet and Nellie’s Samosas, are some vendors making their Pearl Market debut, including Let Us Eat Cupcakes, J Squared Organics, Devour Cookie Co. and Afrikan Designs.

In addition, daily live entertainment and a public eating space will encourage visitors to pick up lunch from one of the food vendors or bring a packed lunch and enjoy the hustle and bustle.

There are some changes afoot.  Due to overwhelming requests from the farmers and merchants, the Market will now spill out of the alleys and expand on to both Broad Street and Gay Street.  The spill-over will include both farmers and merchants, with farmers setting up shop on the Gay Street end of the alley for the first time.

“This will give the Market more presence on those high-traffic thoroughfares,” added Schroeder.  “Especially on Gay Street, where folks are beating a path to new lunch spots like Plantain Cafe’, J. Gumbo’s and Sugardaddy’s.”

In addition, after a test run during the Winter Pearl Market, the summer Market now accepts credit cards and the Ohio Direction Card.  Customers just need to visit the Market tent located at the intersection of Lynn and Pearl to pick up red credit card or green Ohio Direction Card tokens.  All vendors that are accepting the tokens will display a special sticker on their vendor sign denoting which tokens they accept.  This change will allow those who may not be cash-carriers to make some must-have purchases.

As the summer progresses, fans of the Market should keep an eye out for special events.  The Ohio Department of Agriculture will bring their Ohio Proud Mobile Food Kitchen to the Market, where area chefs will shop the Market, do a live cooking demonstration and let visitors sample their dish.  Mark your calendars for June 29, August 31, September 28 and October 26.  Other special events include Strawberry Day on June 8, Sweet Corn Day on July 13, Kids’ Day on July 27, Tomato Day on August 10, Squash Day on September 14 and Apple Day on October 12.  The Market will be closed on Friday, July 2 in observance of Independence Day.

For a sneak peek at the beautiful sights of Pearl Market, take a look at our Opening Day Photo Album.

CCSID Highlights Ambassador Efforts

Ben Barker, Operations Manager for Capital Crossroads and Discover SIDs, is proud to recognize the hard work of the Outreach Team and the Clean and Safe Ambassadors.

“There is so much to be said for the entire program,” said Barker.  “The Outreach Team is always looking for new ways to extend services to those in need, and the Clean and Safe Team and the Special Projects Division exhibit such professionalism.  I continue to expect great things.”

There are two Ambassadors whose hard work and dedication deserve special recognition.

Ambassador of the Quarter:  Gil “Carlos” Pilier

Capital Crossroads congratulates Gil “Carlos” Pilier on his promotion to Utility Ambassador.  In this position, he will be cross trained to handle the wide variety of services offered by both Capital Crossroads and Discovery SIDs.  This will ensure that he is qualified to substitute for other Ambassadors when they are out, as well as provide services with the Special Projects Team.

Carlos is a valuable member of the Capital Crossroads team and this assignment demonstrates our confidence in his work ethic and ability to handle a variety of duties.  In recognition of his hard work and abilities, Carlos was also named the Ambassador of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2010.

Ambassador Spotlight and Winter Warrior:  Paul Denmark

Capital Crossroads recognizes Paul Denmark for his hard work and willingness to help whenever and wherever needed.  Paul is currently working as a Team Leader, but he makes himself available to take on other duties, such as leading a shift or tackling special projects.  For example, Paul took on maintenance of the bikes used in the Bike Patrol Program.

Due to his willingness to charge into the elements during Columbus’ especially harsh winter to ensure that downtown pedestrians could safely pass through the crosswalks and bus stops throughout the district, Capital Crossroads created a new award with Paul as its first winner.  Congratulations to Paul for earning the first ever “Winter Warrior” award.  Mother Nature never stood a chance!

ON YOUR MARK, GET READY…

Grab your walkin’ shoes and shoppin’ bag and GO!

Pearl Market opens in just one short week and shoppers will find record numbers of vendors this year offering a cornucopia of treasures.  One-of-a-kind handcrafted jewelry and artwork, baked goods, meats and cheeses, and don’t forget the freshest seasonal fruits, vegetables and flowers abound on Tuesdays and Fridays beginning May 18 from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Get to know the farmer who grows the food you purchase and find out what inspired the artist who creates that can’t-live-without necklace.  While you’re there, grab a bite of lunch and enjoy the live entertainment.

Shopping is even easier this year since Pearl Market now accepts major credit cards and the Ohio Directions Card.

Want a little preview?  Check out the video below.  Farmers Jarrod and Carie Starr from Cherokee Valley Bison Farm and Steve and Gretel Adams from Sunny Meadows Flower Farm tell you all about the benefits of Pearl Market.

Pearl Market Opens Soon from Downtown Columbus on Vimeo.

Spring Services: Flower Power (Washing)

As the seasons change, the services provided by Capital Crossroads SID make a season-specific shift.  Though some services, such as graffiti removal, safety escorts and special event support are ongoing, when the warm weather returns, other duties move to the front burner.

First on the list is power washing to clean the winter grime off downtown.  Power washing began on March 22, which is a bit earlier than in other years.  The early spring weather combined with an effort to improve overall power washing program bumped up this year’s start date.  This allowed the two power washing crews to get a jump start on the city’s hot spots, including High Street, Pearl Alley, the COTA bus shelters, and the areas surrounding Columbus Commons, RiverSouth and Scioto Mile projects.  In addition, the SID received a permit to power wash in areas where nighttime power washing can be disruptive.  Finally, a study is underway to find new power washing products that will offer greater mobility and expediency with special assignments.  Several machines will be given a test run in the coming weeks with the goal of finding a machine that the SID can use at any time of day for areas that need immediate attention.

The warm weather also means spring flowers.  Once again, the SID will be planting flowers in the beautiful new Gay Street Medians and in hanging baskets along High Street.  The planting is set for May 24, after the danger of frost has passed.  Advance work includes coordinating with the City to get the water to the sprinkler systems turned on.  In addition, the SID is working with a new nursery called Ambius this year to purchase flowers.  Once all of the flowers have been planted, the Ambassadors will help keep the planters watered and fertilized through the summer months.

At the beginning of May, the SID will begin a special project to stain all of the benches along High Street.  This is part of a general effort to spruce things up along that corridor.  Using a power sprayer, the crews will spiff up the benches in quick time, as the sprayer allows for multiple coats with uniform distribution.  This is a far more efficient process than painting by hand.

Graffiti removal remains a key duty of the Ambassadors year round; therefore, a team of Ambassadors has been chosen to receive hands-on training from a prominent graffiti-removal specialist in Columbus.  This will help the Ambassadors better combat graffiti problems in both the Capital Crossroads and Discovery SIDs.

The Clean and Safe Teams continue to receive special requests for service through the online service request form found on the DowntownColumbus.com Website.  Ben Barker, the new Operations Manager for both SIDs, has developed a new work order system to more effectively assign, track and manage the various requests and special projects that emerge.  This improves efficiency and helps ensure that requests are completed in a timely fashion.

“We are not trying to reinvent the wheel,” explained Barker.  “We are striving to make the wheel more efficient and in doing so improve the duties that the Capital Crossroads and Discovery SIDs have come to expect.”

Current Hours of Operation:

Monday – Friday, 6:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Saturday, 8:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

ARE YOU STRONGER THAN A SIXTH GRADER?

It’s that time again: downtown’s kickball league is just getting fired up.  Are you going to stand on the sidelines this year, wishing you had run with the ball?

Or, are you going to get down with downtown and PLAY BALL?

Honest, you don’t even need to actually “run with the ball” by corralling a team of eight members for Capitol Square Kickball.  Our crew can help any player find teammates to join.  This sport is fun, it’s healthy and it’s addictive.  And kickball is here, NOW.

Not a jock?  No worries, this game is for everyone.  Misti Crane has been on board since the beginning with the Columbus Dispatch team, the Fishwrappers.  She’s got a great gift for explaining the nature of the league.  Crane says, “When they started up the kickball, a couple of us figured, ‘Why not?  If sixth graders can do it, so can we.’”

Crane continues, “That said, I’m sure sixth graders might clobber us on any given day, but we have a good time.  It also happens to be a fine excuse to have a couple cold ones with some friends after work.”

Speaking of sixth graders, the rules for Capitol Square Kickball are the same game rules you remember from grammar school:  there are some common-sense provisions for kicking and running, and provisions for something called by the technical term “bouncies.”

All of the rules are posted here, and it’s the job of head referee Matt Maynard to make sure everything runs fairly.  The ref’s biggest worry?  Maynard says, “We go through fifty or more balls a season, and lose at least one every game.”

The referee explains, “Whether it gets stuck in a tree, explodes on contact, or gets run over by a COTA bus (the most common type of loss) – I’m there to make sure that the fun never stops and that there is always a bright red ten-inch kickball to be played with.”

The league is filling up fast, so get on the ball and get on board!  You can find the details about registration and game dates here.

The deadline is May 20, 2010.

THE REAL DIVINE MS. M

Meet Melissa Fast.  She’s officially on board at Capital Crossroads SID as Marketing Director.

Officially, she started last Monday.  Unofficially, she’s been supporting the downtown community for years.

As a local patron of the businesses, restaurants and arts scene, the new director has long celebrated the city’s core as its crowning glory.  She says, “I want to help promote the fact that it is a destination – whether it’s for a cup of coffee in the afternoon or a night of entertainment.”

She continues, “I really want to do my part to make sure that people embrace the fact that downtown is a cool place to be.  I think it’s important for the experience to be easy for people so they want to keep coming back.”  It’s everyone’s neighborhood.

Her favorite downtown finds have stories behind them – like the treasures from Pearl Market.  In fact, the Pearl Market itself is a great place to find a story.  The shops were just highlighted in The Columbus Dispatch… and the market caught the national spotlight when the Associated Press picked up the story for distribution.

Downtown Columbus is indeed a place with a great story.

 The Arnold Sports Festival, like the man for whom it’s named, is big.  Big muscles.  Big numbers of visitors.  Big for Downtown Columbus, which means that Capital Crossroads SID must have a big response.

During The Arnold, the downtown population adds 17,000 athletes, 170,000 spectators and 700 exhibitors.   That’s twice as many athletes as the recent Winter Olympic Games.  Due to the volume of visitors, Capital Crossroads boosts its normal staffing levels with six additional Ambassadors and other staff members.  From Thursday, March 4 at 11 a.m. until Sunday, March 7 at 7 p.m., three to four staff members will be dedicated to the northeastern corridor of downtown around the convention center, along with the iCart kiosk, to ensure that someone is available to answer questions, provide safety escorts and keep the area clean.

In addition, a new pushcart – sort of a mini-iCart – will be deployed with an Ambassador at Broad and High for a few hours a time, loaded with pamphlets and other information.

“We really dedicate ourselves to this event,” explained Ryan Smith, Downtown Hospitality Coordinator.  “We are there to help people navigate around downtown, find great places to eat, provide directions, answer transportation questions and provide safety escorts.”

In addition, Capital Crossroads is in contact with hotels in and outside of downtown, to let them know that the SID is available to offer services and information, sort of like an additional concierge out on the street.

Statistics from 2009 show that through the four-day event, Capital Crossroads provided over 5,000 public assists, with 2,775 of those on the iCart alone.  The extra effort is well worth it.

For the second year, Capital Crossroads has partnered with The Arnold to print a hotel keycard map, which serves as a walking map, shuttle map and parking map for the event.  It also highlights the downtown wayfinding signs and the Capital Crossroads hotline number.

“We have gotten very positive feedback from the folks at The Arnold,” added Smith.  “They are very appreciative of what we do and believe we add real value to their event.”

Smith says that he and the rest of the staff enjoy the atmosphere and energy downtown during The Arnold weekend.  Plus they receive plenty of positive feedback from the visitors, including praise for the cleanliness of the city and the help that Capital Crossroads provides.

It’s important to note that this type of service is available during any event downtown; it’s what Capital Crossroads Ambassadors do.  But the size of The Arnold requires a bigger mobilization of people and effort.  When The Arnold is here, it’s all hands on deck.

Without question, Downtown Columbus is the most underserved retail location in Central Ohio.  With 100,000 employees; 5,500 residents; 250,000 overnight hotel guest; 31,000 college students; 65,000 in-town residents in the Short North, German Village and surrounding areas; and millions of day visitors to the Arena District, Convention Center, theatres and museums, there is significant demand for retail services.  But since the collapse of City Center, downtown has lost its retail sector and the ability to attract corporate retails stores.

Without a major developer pulling those corporate chains downtown, they likely won’t reemerge anytime soon.  But that does not mean that downtown cannot attract retailers.  Independent and start-up retail are the likely players in downtown’s retail future.  But after years of negative coverage surrounding City Center’s demise, there is a negative perception of downtown retail.

Capital Crossroads SID and the City of Columbus have developed a new retail initiative to educate independent and start-up retailers about downtown to and to help overcome the misperceptions that abound.  Announced by Boyce Safford, Director of the City’s Development Department, at the Capital Crossroads Annual Meeting in November, the City is offering several incentives to entice retailers downtown.

The incentives, which apply to the “Mile on High” are on High Street from Spring Street to Mound Street and from Front Street to Fourth Street, include cash incentives and tax abatement specifically for retail investments for property owners and retailers.

However, there remains a communication gap.  Work must be done to overcome the misapprehensions retailers hold and to share the information regarding the City incentives.  Relationships need to be built with independent retailers throughout the area to encourage them to consider downtown as a location.

To that end, Kacey Campbell, the former CCSID Promotions Coordinator, has been tapped as the new downtown Retail Recruiter.  Campbell will serve as a “matchmaker”, reaching out to retailers, answering questions, encouraging them to consider downtown, then matching them with leasing agents who can finalize the deal.

For the last four years, Campbell has connected with existing downtown retailers and with the many vendors who participate in the very successful Pearl Market.  She has an understanding of downtown and believes in its potential.

“There is a huge demand for retail in downtown,” says Campbell.  “It’s a matter of getting accurate information to people and then helping them navigate downtown.  It will take time to see results, but there is good opportunity.”

The seeds of success are already sewn, evidenced by the burgeoning pockets of retail on Gay Street and Fourth Street.  Programs such as this have also proven successful in other cities with a dearth of downtown retail, including Nashville, St. Louis and Minneapolis.  With new incentives from the City and a retail recruiter making the pitch, look for retail to return to the heart of Columbus.