Here We Go Again
From today’s FNP, with a promise for a more thorough article tomorrow:
Frederick’s city government and the Downtown Frederick Partnership want four months to study whether the city should keep chain stores out of downtown.
Comments from residents and others show this is something the city needs to at least examine, said Alderman David Koontz, who called for a discussion of the issue at today’s workshop.
Opponents of such a measure believe there is no proof the city needs to keep chain stores out of downtown, and that existing rules already make it hard to attract businesses.
At least 20 other municipalities throughout the country have enacted laws limiting where chain businesses can operate, according to the nonprofit Institute for Local Self-Reliance.
At the moment, six national chains or franchises are in downtown Frederick, according to the city’s Department of Economic Development — Ben & Jerry’s, Five Guys Famous Burgers & Fries, The Temple – Paul Mitchell Hair School, Talbot’s, Orvis-Hunting Creek Outfitters and The Greene Turtle. That’s about 3 percent of the 195 retail shops and restaurants downtown.
The Department of Economic Development has already reviewed the city’s retail market and prices for real estate and rentals, said Heather Gramm, the department’s business development specialist. Now it wants to go out into the community to conduct surveys and focus groups.
Hopefully these surveys will be something that’s easy to participate in and are taken seriously, because there are a lot of people in town with very strong opinions about the issue of chains in downtown Frederick.
I hope Frederick stands firm. One of the reasons I love downtown Frederick is that it doesn’t look like every other junked up chain-ridden town, it has retained so much unique character.
I try hard to buy locally from independents and if downtown Frederick got “chained-up” I’d have to find a new pace to shop.
I would not be opposed to a few slightly upscale stores such as Pottery Barn, Banana Republic, Sephora, or JCrew. I think a mix of chain stores and local businesses would be nice. I think the chain stores might actually bring more business to the local stores.
Pottery Barn? JCrew? Yuk.
I would not look for Pottery Barn to hit Frederick yet. Banana Republic has Frederick on its raydar but it is looking at the to be built Westview Village. I have no problem with some upscale stores ( chain both regional and national) coming into downtown. It used to be anchored by chains when I was a kid. What I would not want to see is all of the unqique stores being run out. I would hope that some national chains would create more for everyone. I would prefer upscale restaurants like Clyde’s and such would add much appeal to the area.
I agree – a certain amount of upscale chains is acceptable, just not too many. Old Town Alexandria is a nice example of this.
Is it just me, or does anyone else enjoy the irony of a non-profit institute, nationwide in scope and reach, dedicated to helping communities build “local self-reliance”?
There has got to be a way to preserve some of Frederick’s unique stores while drawing in some national/regional chains. I think Frederick is heading to become another Olde Town alexandria which has a nice mix.
Coupled with the historic district regs, I’d say the size, square footage and floorplates of downtowns buildings make downtown, with only a handful of exceptions, problematic for chain retailers and restuarants (Starbucks being one of the exceptions, since their square footage requirements are limited).
Carroll Creek and the Brickworks, well, we’ll see.
Cityside, I think you are on to something here. I suspect that there may be some interest by chains in the entire East Street extension area (just my opinion here) because most buildings downtown are too small for what most chains would need. But the East Street area, from the Brick Works all the way to the new I-70 Exit is in the city limits. That could have something to do with why this study is taking place.
~Liz~
Yep…I was up in Hagerstown the other day and was struck by how much bigger the majority of downtown Hagerstown’s buildings were (Duffy’s on Potomac, for instance, is cavernous compared to, say, The Tasting Room). Most of downtown Frederick’s buildings – even the ” commercial” ones on Market and Patrick – are still essentially Georgian rowhouses. Later, larger, “Loft” buildings (which is actually an old term for their construction technique that got co-opted by trendy apartments) are relatively rare (The Temple is probably the best example).
I agree with the majority on this one…a few in the mix downtown may actually boost an already brisk market.
There needs to be a mix downtown. When I first moved to Frederick, there was a nice mix of places downtown to shop but most of them closed when the city’s attitude towards businesses changed. Businesses are starting to come back downtown but we still need decent places to shop for regular everyday items. I go downtown for specialty stuff but I find myself heading towards Bethesda for stuff like clothes.
We’ve had the same conversation going at http://www.FredRocks.net for a while now. Darrell Russ makes a good point, in that downtown Frederick used to be the only place around, so it had several chains. I know Sears and Penny’s were both downtown at one point. I’ve noticed that all of Frederick, and particularly downtown, is lacking in Men’s fashion. There are lots of local places with women’s clothing, but nothing for the guys, aside from Social Study, and how many pair of multi-colored sneakers does somebody really need? BTW, The Temple is as big as it is because it really was built to be a Masonic Temple. There are a few similarly sized, and purpose built, buildings near it. They’re currently under renovation, but I can’t remember what they’re called.
I personally believe that Frederick can maintain the character of a historic city with the influx of a few chain/anchor stores to its downtown (eateries and shopping). Considering the intense opposition to any “corporate takeover” of downtown, I seriously doubt that main street will ever one day look like the Rio. I think some small chain stores and upscale eateries will continue to correct the perception that Frederick is still that tiny town in the mountains that no one from DC would dare to frequent. With continual growth to the entertainment and business markets, Fredrick can begin to be viewed as a Historic town with modern charm similar to Leesburg. To all those that defend against any and all things corporate coming to Frederick, remember; job growth, strength of the local economy, strong housing markets, lower taxes, better schools, are all linked to a demand to live here which would require (in some sort) a developed and modernized town.
Thats my two cents…..
Personally, I love the idea so long as Frederick is still Frederick and has that great, authentic charm. The Historic Society is very strict about how and how much buildings can be changed, and those rules should stay in place. And there are different perspectives to look at Frederick being “built-up.” I’m a 20 yr-old college junior who has lived most of her life in Frederick, and would love to raise a family there one day. But here’s my view: most people my age don’t see it for what it is, and so downtown needs to have more of a draw, for it’s future. My father is from a small town in PA that used to be thriving, but has just been petering out. When we visit now, the town in large, but the population is scarce because no one is staying. I don’t want to see Frederick turn into that. We offer great things, but we need someway to pull people into Frederick so that those things can catch their eye.
And for those that use the “$4 cup of coffee” complaint for Starbucks: some great, local stores downtown will charge $200 for jeans (designer; not local), so it’s all in the mix.