BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

« Back to Archive
2

Open Streets and businesses

Open Streets has certainly grown and become quite the event if the attendance at last Sunday's is any indication. I recall that the first one that closed Penn Ave through the Strip was met with some backlash from the businesses there.  Is this still the case or do they see Open Streets as a good thing? Curious because post-Open Streets news seemed a little sparse and certainly little coverage on the attitude and perspective of businesses along the route or in the neighborhoods.
marv
2017-08-02 08:40:52
the first one had a lot of criticism because people didn't know what it was, and thought is was going to be like the marathon. there were several businesses who were against it at first, then changed their minds after the event. there are other businesses, that do do worse, but support the event because they think it's a good thing. there will always be those that don't do as well and will always hate it. the stores that do large volumes don't tend to do as well. but others report that it's one of their best days. so, it's a mixed bag. i have noticed that as businesses begin to "get it," they tend to start offering things on their sidewalks for the event that they normally wouldn't offer. Wholey's is a great example of this.
erok
2017-08-02 09:04:28