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.
February is Crafter’s Month at the Winter Pearl Market (20 E. Broad Street)! We are looking to close out our inaugural winter market with a bang. Because the MARKETPLACE (where local handmade arts, clothing, crafts and other gifts have been sold on consignment) has been so popular, we are expanding on that idea and making the whole month of February “Crafter’s Month.”
But we need crafters to participate, so if you are interested, please email Heather Brown at heather@downtowncolumbus.com for more information.
You know how suggestion boxes work? Fill out the form, put it in the box… and it goes away forever.
We’re not that way. At the end of last year, we asked for reader thoughts and suggestions, you followed through and offered all kinds of comments.
Now we’ll follow through too. Here’s the plan:
1. You want more places to have lunch, including fast food chains.
Although our focus has been on independent operations (here’s our online directory of almost one hundred eateries), we welcome all sorts of purveyors. Heck, if there’s room for Dunkin Donuts, we’ve got room for a McWendy’s King. But please be patient. The chains will be slow to return to downtown. In the meantime, check out the quick bite places in the directory… we promise good eats are ahead!
2. You want more retail stores downtown. We do too. Since the survey, Capital Crossroads SID has announced that it will create a retail recruitment program for downtown with Kacey Campbell taking the lead on revving up downtown retail. You can be proactive in this process too: shop at downtown’s Pearl Market, nurture those businesses and they’ll grow into a full-scale retail community. And support the downtown retails we have. You can find a list of retailers here.
3. You want to know about marches and rallies happening downtown. Duly noted.
4. Some readers wanted City Center open again as a mall; some wanted it to remain standing and repurposed.
City Center ran its course as a mall. It faced fierce competition from Tuttle, Easton and Polaris malls. Its closed-off-fortress design was no longer cool. So bye-bye mall; hello sweet opportunities!
As for redesign, the mall was build to be a mall. Did you know it doesn’t even have a heating system, because the lights and people generated enough heat? The best evidence indicates that the single most cost effective way of dealing with the structure was to disassemble it entirely. To do otherwise would be a statistically improbably gamble.
5. Readers want the magic of their childhood.
Can we pull a rabbit out of the hat and make our downtown dreams come true? If you care, and we know you do, then we can!
The week between Christmas and New Year’s can be breathtakingly slow. We thought we’d liven things up; consider these remarkable things seen-and-heard downtown in 2009. There ought to be awards for this…
1. The Happiness Award
Cleve Ricksecker is a happy man. Inside of thirty-four seconds, he says, “Happy” four times.
2. The Artist That Most Looks Like Another Artist Award If Adam Brouillette had a twirly mustache, he’d be a ringer for Salvador Dali. But even sans mustache, Brouilette’s Independents’ Day was an indie art masterpiece.
3. Best Confessional Award
Ok, ok, we must admit, we’d break our diet too for Sugardaddy’s. We never saw this guy after his disclosure; guess the Weight Watcher Police caught up with him.
5. Star of Tomorrow Award
Damon Ruff is on his way. Who else could inspire 368 viewers to watch him shine shoes? (He’s at his Gay Street store, Shine Me Up).
6. Most Popular Prize We knew it; our bloodthirsty audience just wants to see demolition and destruction. This video broke all our records for viewership: 1,052 clicks on the City Center coming down.
We have a Winter Pearl Market, so not surprisingly, we have a Winter Pearl Market Moment. Check out this video to get a sneak peek at the new indoor market at 20 E. Broad Street and meet market vendor, Take Ten Body Therapy.
Fall is here in all its golden glory. With Halloween goblins and ghouls, pumpkins and gourds, football and more football. Surely Ohio farmers are putting their beds to bed for a long winters rest, and farmers markets are closing their shutters for the season. Nope, not in downtown Columbus.
Although the outdoor Pearl Market wraps up its season this Friday, the indoor Winter Pearl Market will come right in on its heels. Thanks to a grant from the US Department of Agriculture’s Farmer Market Promotional Program, Capital Crossroad SID has extended Pearl Market’s season through February. It’s an idea that came from vendors and shoppers alike, who told Pearl Market staff that they would like to continue selling and shopping. So more Market they shall have.
Starting next Tuesday, you can shop each Tuesday and Friday from 10:30 am – 2 pm on the first floor of 20 E. Broad Street. Approximately 34 vendors will be there with their wonderful good and local produce (yes, it’s all still local – mostly grown in greenhouses), baked goods, meats, cheeses, oils, syrup, jams, eggs, soaps, jewelry, sweaters, bags, dog-friendly items, and much more. There will also be an art gallery produced by the Create Columbus Commission and a Holiday Marketplace with gift items. Also new for the indoor Market, customers can shop with the Ohio Direction Card (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/Food Stamps).
Business Firstreported a new, but small, trend in retailing on October 23: the pop-up store. These stores “pop up” in small spaces and operate for brief periods of time. According to the article, they typically lease space “as is” and highlight specific product lines.
Risk to the retailer is low. Because these stores operate for limited periods of time, they have an event quality to them that draws shoppers.
Retail-starved downtown could use some pop up stores. There is a large inventory of vacant storefronts. Property owners would certainly consider short-term leases. Could Toys R Us make some money in downtown during the holiday season? After all, many of the 100,000 time-pressed downtown employees have children.
Capital Crossroads opens its own pop up store on Tuesday, November 3. Pearl Market vendors are working with the SID to create a retail co-op at 20 East Broad Street that will be open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10:30 to 2 pm through February. If this experiment is successful, the concept might be expanded next year. Who knows where this effort might lead?
Kimberly Esque-Marino is the owner of a really cool local indie company catering to dog owners: Potty Pocket.
Potty Pocket is a vendor at the Market and Kimberly talked a bit to us about her company:
What is a Potty Pocket?
A Potty Pocket is a small bag for the dog owner to keep by their dog leash which can hold any items they may need while on their walk. It has two pockets, inside pocket for personal items such as cell phone, house keys, dog treats etc.. and a outside pocket for potty bags to be pulled from the slot at the bottom of the pocket. It is made out of water and stain resistant nylon fabric and is washable. The straps are adjustable and long enough for it to be worn across the body to keep both hands free.
Why was it developed?
Upon becoming a first time dog owner, the daily walks became a scramble to obtain all of the necessary items for the walk. Potty bags, flashlight and personal items made my pockets bulge as I walked out the door. I wanted something I could just grab with the basic items in it along with room for personal stuff. I searched the market and my needs were not met. So, I designed what I wanted and my friends and family loved it and wanted one of their own. They encouraged me to develop it and sell to the general public.
I love what Kimberly had to say about being at Pearl Market:
“We love the opportunity to be among creative individuals who have unique products that are hand crafted with care. As the small independent retailers are disappearing from the market place it is nice to know that consumers who are looking for quality items have a place to go and shop. When we support local artists and farmers, we are supporting our community, thus ourselves.”
I also love that she told us how Potty Pockets could have been sent to China manufacturing for mass production but she choose to stay local and independent:
“It was important to me that they be made here in Ohio. Potty Pocket is a group effort. Family and friends have helped to get this idea off the ground. I designed and make the product, a friend designed the logo and web sight, my sister and husband help to sell them and everyone gives unending enthusiasm and support that has made this challenge a lot of fun.”
Check out her website and visit POTTY POCKETS at the market each week. Tell her the Market Maven sent ya!
I have had it hot, cold, dark, light, bold- It is all Superb!
From their website:
Our artisan-roasted coffees are roasted in-store by owner/roastmaster Jeff Davis, providing our customers the opportunity to enjoy the process—as well as the product—and let it become a part of their lives.
(Love it- like a wee coffee love story)
The cafe on Gay St. offers breakfast and lunch, in addition to the plethora of coffee options. Try the turkey pesto sandwich or the tomato basil soup. You won’t be disappointed!
The Brioso Market crew is wonderful and super friendly- and, you can place coffee orders for pick up later in the week! Please go try a sample of their delicious coffee this week at the Market and tell them that the Market Maven sent ya!
THE REAL DIVINE MS. M
DOWNTOWN SPEAKS
DOWNTOWN VIDEO AWARDS
T’IS THE SEASON
Kimberly Esque-Marino is the owner of a really cool local indie company catering to dog owners: 