Writing Campaign

[NEeaster]

Is anyone interested in starting a writing campaign to gather feedback/signatures from downtown neighborhood residents about stores, etc. that they's like to see an support downtown? We could forward it to city council members as well as building owners/management companies.

[NEeaster]

So I guess people just like to whine and complain but don't actually want to try to do anything to bring about change...

[Nick]

That's it

[grant1simons2]

Yes none of us here do real things to try to help downtown

[Anondson]

I dunno, sell us on it. Are there particular businesses you can think of that are threatened by the city government that need an outpouring of support?

[VacantLuxuries]

When I first read the post, I thought it was saying "We should write to city council members to tell them what businesses need to be downtown" which I found odd. They know pretty well what isn't downtown, and it's not as if they can make a business materialize without someone having the means and the will to open one.

[Tiller]

It sounds like it would also be used to bludgeon the private sector (look at all the people who want your store/restaurant here!). Idk if this is something that ever happens though.

[VacantLuxuries]

As someone who works at a place where we are the target of these sort of writing campaigns all the time, no. It does not work.

[trigonalmayhem]

The only way I can see this working is if the city throws some kind of subsidy at a business, and that is questionable in the very best of circumstances. Then again I'd rather have my tax money pay for a dunkin donuts in loring park than a stadium, so ...

[twincitizen]

You're much better off getting involved in the process. Join your neighborhood board, get to know your councilmember personally.

As for requesting certain businesses, I think you should just email them. If you have a list of businesses, perhaps forward that to the Downtown Council. The Downtown Council is really the established advocacy group for making downtown better.

[Michael]

This:

You're much better off getting involved in the process. Join your neighborhood board, get to know your councilmember personally.

As for requesting certain businesses, I think you should just email them. If you have a list of businesses, perhaps forward that to the Downtown Council. The Downtown Council is really the established advocacy group for making downtown better.

Unless they get into the thousands of signatures, writing campaigns are actually pretty easy to ignore. In addition it is tremendously difficult to create something focused using that approach as virtually no one agrees 100% on anything (look at this board).

The best approach is to start attending the public meetings, get to know to people who influence and/or make the decisions and build relationships. the ROI will generally be much higher.

[at40man]

When the economics are in favor for a desired store to open in particular location, then it probably will.

If it does not, then the beauty of capitalism is that YOU! can open a store or become a franchisee.

[reeckman]

You're much better off getting involved in the process. Join your neighborhood board, get to know your councilmember personally.

As for requesting certain businesses, I think you should just email them. If you have a list of businesses, perhaps forward that to the Downtown Council. The Downtown Council is really the established advocacy group for making downtown better.

Yes contact the business. I emailed Trader Joe's twice in 2012 insisting they locate on Park and 3rd and gave reasons to get in on DTE. They promptly replied thanks but no thanks, but now that it's actually happening near there it's fun to think it made a difference.

[twincitizen]

I've emailed Express once/year for maybe 2-3 years now about (re)opening an Uptown location or considering a downtown location.

Lately, I've also been email harassing USBank about their abysmal branch & ATM coverage in basically all of SW Minneapolis. (It's shockingly bad considering this is their home city)

[NEeaster]

You're much better off getting involved in the process. Join your neighborhood board, get to know your councilmember personally.

As for requesting certain businesses, I think you should just email them. If you have a list of businesses, perhaps forward that to the Downtown Council. The Downtown Council is really the established advocacy group for making downtown better.

I have emailed emailed City Center, Gaviidae, etc. and individual stores that I'd love to see move downtown individually - sometimes I get a response, more often not.