Annapolis Capital Punishment

Today's Capital has two stories on downtown retailers. One headline declares,"Vacant Shops Abound Downtown: Some blame new shopping centers on city's edge" while the other reads, "Downtown icon closing after 55 years: Johnson's On The Avenue owners say they can't compete with mall."

Word to downtown business owners--Quit whining about the mall and Parole and get your own acts together.

Downtowns wax and wane and retailers come and go. My family was in retail and I've worked many long hours in malls and urban stores, including downtown Annapolis, where I also rented space to sell antiques and rare books. Retail is hard way to earn a living. Annapolis presents a lot of its own weird challenges for shopkeepers, but it also has great attractions and qualities. Downtown retailers need to "capitalize" on them instead of worrying about external issues.

When my family's store was was burned in the riots of 1968, we and other retailers moved to the growing suburbs with their expanding regional malls. Downtowns imploded, suburbs exploded and edge cities grew. That was 30 years ago and in most of our cities, that trend has reversed. We've seen a great renaissance around the country with a return of shoppers to downtown and I think the future is even brighter for our cities. I've visited nearly all our major cities and many smaller ones in the last decade and have seen great renewal of downtown business districts, but it's increasingly clear that Annapolis is losing its appeal to shoppers.

Downtown businesses are up against the same challenges as any retailer but they are often their own worst enemies because they do not seem to realize that they must "capitalize" on what is special, unique, wonderful and attractive about downtown. They fight among themselves. They don't speak with a united voice. They should stop whining about the mall and about the so-called "parking" problem and get to work on improving and showing why our narrow streets, trees, bricked sidewalks, waterfront, boats, historic buildings etc. add up to pleasant shopping. While I frequently walk or ride a bike downtown, there just is not much for me to buy.

Almost 30 years ago I went to meetings where downtown business owners complained and argued about some of the same things they argue about today--yet look how much busier and prettier downtown is than ever before. More people come here for the Academy, special events, and everyday sightseeing than ever before. We can thank our city government, visitors bureau, Historic Annapolis Fdn. others for many improvements. Hundreds of newly arrived and affluent homeowners at Acton's Landing and Park Place represent potential customers and I wonder how retailers are reaching out to them. While we have five or six different business associations as well as a chamber of commerce that is almost regional in scope,they cannot seem to speak with one voice. Certainly some of their concerns overlap whether they be in Eastport, West Annapolis or Main Street. With concerns about trash collection, crime and image, why don't they really put their heads--and their money together? Hanging flower baskets are nice, but what is their overall impact? Perhaps they could create a business district or an investment partnership or at least a larger city-wide business association with teeth--and staff and marketing efforts.

I give credit to the Annapolis Business Association for hiring an executive director. I can only hope that their members didn't fight and argue for years about that decision.