Blade signs are designed to make stores more visible to pedestrians from 20 feet or more. When walking along a sidewalk in a downtown it is hard to see a business until you are right upon it. The blade sign by being visible from a further distance gives a landmark to shoot for and makes the walk more interesting. An
Utility boxes are among those necessary features of modern life that add little to the built environment – in most cases. Some have been painted, others have been wrapped. They can convert a message artistically or philosophically. In Seattle the boxes were used for neighborhood branding and wayfinding. Recently when I was visiting New Brunswick, New Jersey, I found a
Over the last few years I observed how the next town over from where I live has been trying to jumpstart revitalization efforts. The town is Edison and the neighborhood is called Clara Barton. There are a few multi-story buildings but most are single story and spaced out typical of a suburban neighborhood commerical district. In years past planters were
Never underestimate what some green astroturf and timbers can do to activate an empty or underutilized public space. We loved stumbling across this pop-up bocce court in Millburn, New Jersey. Something else they got right was clustering movable furniture, planters, and public art elements. Altogether it made a nice unexpected outdoor gathering space. Only thing lacking is to get the
Coda: we got thinking about economics. If a table is available for sit down diners and is turned over five times with an average ticket of $60, that is $300. Profit margins for restaurants are quite low between 3% and 10%. So for that $300 of revenue the business may make between $9 and $30 in profit. The opportunity cost
Millburn has an ideal location, close to New York City and at the foot of the South Mountain Reservation. There are many assets here including the Paper Mill Playhouse and the Greenwood Gardens not too far away from the downtown. Here are a few highlights from a recent visit. Fantastical Garden, 2022 This sculpture by Dan Fenelon has signature vivid
Return on Marketing Investment (ROMI) involves sharing data which your organization needs to feel successful and excited to do more. Measurement and analysis is a core competency that Main Street programs should have. Of the many tactics that can be used (Search Engine Optimization, Blogging and Content Creation, Social Media, etc.) there are some basic questions: How much did traffic
One of the direct effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were questions about food systems and where our food comes from. Production delays and creeping inflation in recent years have been cause for major concern. Collectively these crises revealed the disconnected nature between where food is raised and consumed. The farmers market movement has long focused on local food. Some require
A sandwich board can be the first element for your store encouraging people to come up to it and touch to develop a connection with your store. For that reason, your sandwich board needs to be in an impeccable state of repair – no rusty wheels, peeling letters. Make your sandwich board of a high quality expressive of your story
Many think of a nonprofit brand about being about a logo and tagline. It’s so much deeper than that capturing perceptions of what a nonprofit stands for, what it does, and how much social impact it is thought to achieve. Peter Frumkin at the Masters in Nonprofit Leadership Program at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice