Shop our Businesses in IRB
In a recession, the economy operates backwards. It recedes instead of advancing. Most folks you talk to in IRB have all felt the pinch…albeit to differing degrees. But, the folks most affected by the economic downturn are our small businesses—our shops, restaurants, bars, salons, etc.
The official definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth marked by a slump in consumer spending. Only a very few number of businesses—like funeral homes--are truly recession-proof. (Death and taxes, right?) For the average retailer here on the barrier island, the challenge is to keep the doors open with less revenue while maintaining the same quality and level of service. Nearly 70% of the U.S. economy relies on consumer spending. For our local restaurants, hotels, shops, bars, etc. in IRB, that percentage is undoubtedly much higher.
It’s more important now than ever to “buy” locally. As a community, IRB is fortunate to have so many solid small businesses headed by smart, successful proprietors. They deserve our respect and our support—now and always.
In lean times, businesses tend to reduce advertising expenditures, so we must be proactive patrons—and visit without waiting to be “coaxed” to do so. Some IRB businesses have intelligently explored ways to replace the business robbed by the economy. My Place, J.D.’s and Crabby Bill’s appeared at last Tuesday's commission meeting (10/28) to ask the City to allow them to extend live entertainment hours by one hour on the weekends. Please urge your City Commission to grant this request. And hopefully, as former City Commission candidate and IRB P & Z Board Member Don House suggested, the deadline for businesses to comply with the new sign ordinance will also be extended. As a community, we need to do everything possible to keep the businesses we love from being downturn casualties…even if it means lesser emphasis on the esthetics...at least in the short run.
You’ll notice a new addition to the right-hand column of the IRBeHEARD blog—IRBeBiz. E-mail us at irbeheard@cmdinc.net with a great experience you’ve had with an IRB business. We’ll share it with our readers in an upcoming posting—a little FREE word-of-blog advertising for our local businesses!
Shop, eat, party, pamper, recreate…right here at home in IRB. It saves on gas!
Nancy Obarski
Beach Trail/IRB
In a recession, the economy operates backwards. It recedes instead of advancing. Most folks you talk to in IRB have all felt the pinch…albeit to differing degrees. But, the folks most affected by the economic downturn are our small businesses—our shops, restaurants, bars, salons, etc.
The official definition of a recession is two consecutive quarters of negative economic growth marked by a slump in consumer spending. Only a very few number of businesses—like funeral homes--are truly recession-proof. (Death and taxes, right?) For the average retailer here on the barrier island, the challenge is to keep the doors open with less revenue while maintaining the same quality and level of service. Nearly 70% of the U.S. economy relies on consumer spending. For our local restaurants, hotels, shops, bars, etc. in IRB, that percentage is undoubtedly much higher.
It’s more important now than ever to “buy” locally. As a community, IRB is fortunate to have so many solid small businesses headed by smart, successful proprietors. They deserve our respect and our support—now and always.
In lean times, businesses tend to reduce advertising expenditures, so we must be proactive patrons—and visit without waiting to be “coaxed” to do so. Some IRB businesses have intelligently explored ways to replace the business robbed by the economy. My Place, J.D.’s and Crabby Bill’s appeared at last Tuesday's commission meeting (10/28) to ask the City to allow them to extend live entertainment hours by one hour on the weekends. Please urge your City Commission to grant this request. And hopefully, as former City Commission candidate and IRB P & Z Board Member Don House suggested, the deadline for businesses to comply with the new sign ordinance will also be extended. As a community, we need to do everything possible to keep the businesses we love from being downturn casualties…even if it means lesser emphasis on the esthetics...at least in the short run.
You’ll notice a new addition to the right-hand column of the IRBeHEARD blog—IRBeBiz. E-mail us at irbeheard@cmdinc.net with a great experience you’ve had with an IRB business. We’ll share it with our readers in an upcoming posting—a little FREE word-of-blog advertising for our local businesses!
Shop, eat, party, pamper, recreate…right here at home in IRB. It saves on gas!
Nancy Obarski
Beach Trail/IRB
4 comments:
The statement about businesses asking the City to allow them to extend live entertainment hours by one hour on the weekends is all well and good....As long as the entertainment is completely indoors. As it is now some of these businesses/bars that are right in the middle of our neighborhoods, are not thoughtful of their close neighbors when it comes to keeping tabs on the VOLUME of their live and ampilfied entertainment! Those that live near these businesses know the feeling. I hope the commission keeps that in mind before they decide!!!
The folks should pay attention to the Comp. Plan changes now proposed and proceeding toward adoption under the "radar."
The changes moving forward included at one point allowing commercial development support facilities (parking lots, etc.) on First Street; beach front commercial development; taller buildings; dune regulation and planting; etc. Most of this stuff was in the A2K study being conducted by USF. Some of the above were taken out by the Planning and Zoning Board and added back in by the Commission.
Anybody's guess what other changes are in the proposal. I guess this Commission is using the same technique Congress used in passing the bailout bill--close your eyes, keep your mouth shut and vote to approve.
Noise will be the least of our problems when 1st Street becomes more than a residential street, height is increased on the beach side, etc.
By the way, I say businesses in the triangle should be allowe to play music to at least 11 everynight and longer on weekends and holidays. Notice I said the longer hours should be limited to businesses in the triangle.
The request was to allow a business in the triangle to extend their entertainment hours. That is our business district, and we need to support it. 10pm is too early to close down on week-ends.
As far as commercial developement on the beach, would that be so awful? Who in town wouldn't like to have a dinner or glass of wine while watching a sunset? They never should have prohibited it in the early '80s.
SUPPORT OUR BUSINESSES, the prior commissions were all giddy to allow developers to come into town and knock down business by business for condo's. Let these guys play till 11 and longer on the weekend and in the so called "UnBusiness Triangle." I too would like to have a glass of wine and be able to watch the sunset as I enjoyed a nice meal, but for that we must go to another city.
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