Rebirth of downtowns
Flashback to the past when small downtown areas were vibrant and full of life, then fast-forward to a time when small downtown areas died out and businesses struggled to survive. Like a blast from the past, people in recent years have been trying to revive downtown areas, making small, booming economic centers that beg for foot traffic.
This renaissance of urban business is not being led by large corporate box stores or stale chain restaurants. The resurgence of New Albany’s and Jeffersonville’s downtown areas has been driven by small, family-owned establishments like Bud’s in Bloom.
Stephanie Fortner and her mother Brenda Young opened Bud’s in Bloom, a florist in downtown New Albany, eight years ago. Though eight years is not a tremendous amount of time, Fortner said she has seen downtown New Albany change greatly.
“The first couple of years were brutal,” Fortner said. “There was hardly any business, and it was hard to stick around. These past couple of years, though, there is a lot more foot traffic and small businesses popping up and succeeding.”
This renaissance of urban business is not being led by large corporate box stores or stale chain restaurants. The resurgence of New Albany’s and Jeffersonville’s downtown areas has been driven by small, family-owned establishments like Bud’s in Bloom.
Stephanie Fortner and her mother Brenda Young opened Bud’s in Bloom, a florist in downtown New Albany, eight years ago. Though eight years is not a tremendous amount of time, Fortner said she has seen downtown New Albany change greatly.
“The first couple of years were brutal,” Fortner said. “There was hardly any business, and it was hard to stick around. These past couple of years, though, there is a lot more foot traffic and small businesses popping up and succeeding.”
Stephanie Fortner, co-owner of Buds in Bloom, prepares a grouping of white roses.
Young owned a florist previously when Fortner was a young girl. Fortner’s aunts worked in floral. Cousins got involved in the business. Male family members deliver bouquets. The term family business describes Bud’s in Bloom perfectly.
“The whole family is in the floral business,” Fortner said. “I just love it. Now my children are growing up in the business as well by coming to work with me.”
Because their family business is in the heart of downtown New Albany, Fortner said she knows the importance of buying local. Large stores like Wal-Mart and Kroger sell flowers and encroach on their business.
“Buying local is so important,” Fortner said. “Big names drive small family businesses to close. We always try to buy local because it’s family businesses that keep the downtown life going. We consider each other friends and help each other out.”
According to Develop New Albany, an organization that focuses on the economic revitalization and historic preservation, over 90 new small businesses have opened in downtown New Albany in the last five years.
One way the city has encouraged locally owned businesses to invest in the downtown area is by creating Urban Enterprise Zones. These zones promote development through tax concessions, infrastructure incentives and reduced regulations. Often, however, business owners in downtown areas face the challenge of redeveloping an older existing building rather than developing a new space.
Indiana State Rep. Ed Clere has been frequenting Southern Indiana’s downtown businesses for years. Clere, an avid preservationist of historic buildings, says that the state gives out $450,000 in a historic rehabilitation tax credit to businesses housed in older urban buildings each year, but that it is not enough.
“There are still situations where, even in New Albany and Jeffersonville, where the numbers don’t work,” Clere said. “And there is a need for a credit or a grant for a project in order for it to make sense from an investor’s standpoint.”
Clere says there could be help on the way. There is talk of allocating more money in this year’s state budget for historic preservation that would help business in urban areas.
“There are some great buildings used to be the center of thriving cities, and they could be again,” Clere said.
“The whole family is in the floral business,” Fortner said. “I just love it. Now my children are growing up in the business as well by coming to work with me.”
Because their family business is in the heart of downtown New Albany, Fortner said she knows the importance of buying local. Large stores like Wal-Mart and Kroger sell flowers and encroach on their business.
“Buying local is so important,” Fortner said. “Big names drive small family businesses to close. We always try to buy local because it’s family businesses that keep the downtown life going. We consider each other friends and help each other out.”
According to Develop New Albany, an organization that focuses on the economic revitalization and historic preservation, over 90 new small businesses have opened in downtown New Albany in the last five years.
One way the city has encouraged locally owned businesses to invest in the downtown area is by creating Urban Enterprise Zones. These zones promote development through tax concessions, infrastructure incentives and reduced regulations. Often, however, business owners in downtown areas face the challenge of redeveloping an older existing building rather than developing a new space.
Indiana State Rep. Ed Clere has been frequenting Southern Indiana’s downtown businesses for years. Clere, an avid preservationist of historic buildings, says that the state gives out $450,000 in a historic rehabilitation tax credit to businesses housed in older urban buildings each year, but that it is not enough.
“There are still situations where, even in New Albany and Jeffersonville, where the numbers don’t work,” Clere said. “And there is a need for a credit or a grant for a project in order for it to make sense from an investor’s standpoint.”
Clere says there could be help on the way. There is talk of allocating more money in this year’s state budget for historic preservation that would help business in urban areas.
“There are some great buildings used to be the center of thriving cities, and they could be again,” Clere said.
Downtown Jeffersonville
Jeffersonville has seen its downtown area explode with new restaurants and businesses, thanks in large part to the opening of The Big Four walking bridge that connects Jeffersonville to Louisville’s Waterfront Park. But it is not just residents from Louisville who are fueling the revitalization.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau Jeffersonville’s population has grown from 27,362 people in 2000, to 44,953 in 2010.
One business owner who has seen Jeffersonville change from a sleepy river town into a center for urban trade is Richard Stemler, the third-generation owner of Stemler Plumbing.
Stemler said he believes encouraging residents to buy local is important but so is working with the community.
“As a small business owner, you cannot take the community for granted,” Stemler said. “You have to get involved and be a part of the community around you.”
As a small business helping develop downtown areas is a big job. Hard work, sacrifice and dedication are what drive a business to success, Stemler said. If money is the motivation the business simply will not work.
“In order to succeed, businesses need to start taking care of their customers,” Stemler said. “That’s how long-standing businesses have stayed in business.”
Customer care may be a major key to a business’s success but sometimes small business owners face challenges out of their control.
“Not too many people shop in downtown New Albany, because it’s not as a friendly shopping area as it should be,” said Mike Sajaja, owner of Aladdin’s.
Sajaja started his family owned restaurant in September of 2013. The restaurant is located on West Market Street in downtown New Albany.
Aladdin’s has been very successful since it opened partially because it offers a unique Mediterranean food that not many other restaurants offer in the area. The business has been so successful in fact that Sajaja recently expanded his restaurant. Now instead of having seven tables, the restaurant can have as many as 50.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau Jeffersonville’s population has grown from 27,362 people in 2000, to 44,953 in 2010.
One business owner who has seen Jeffersonville change from a sleepy river town into a center for urban trade is Richard Stemler, the third-generation owner of Stemler Plumbing.
Stemler said he believes encouraging residents to buy local is important but so is working with the community.
“As a small business owner, you cannot take the community for granted,” Stemler said. “You have to get involved and be a part of the community around you.”
As a small business helping develop downtown areas is a big job. Hard work, sacrifice and dedication are what drive a business to success, Stemler said. If money is the motivation the business simply will not work.
“In order to succeed, businesses need to start taking care of their customers,” Stemler said. “That’s how long-standing businesses have stayed in business.”
Customer care may be a major key to a business’s success but sometimes small business owners face challenges out of their control.
“Not too many people shop in downtown New Albany, because it’s not as a friendly shopping area as it should be,” said Mike Sajaja, owner of Aladdin’s.
Sajaja started his family owned restaurant in September of 2013. The restaurant is located on West Market Street in downtown New Albany.
Aladdin’s has been very successful since it opened partially because it offers a unique Mediterranean food that not many other restaurants offer in the area. The business has been so successful in fact that Sajaja recently expanded his restaurant. Now instead of having seven tables, the restaurant can have as many as 50.
The average customer that Sajaja said he gets are people who work in
the area and people who are walking around shopping in the area. He said
he doesn’t draw a lot of business from people who do not live or work
in the downtown area.
While one reason for that may be advertising, Sajaja says there are some problems that the city could do improve to help the activity in the downtown area increase.
“Public parking is a big issue in this area, and the one-way streets,” Sajaja said.
Terry Lynch agrees. Lynch, owner of Pearls on Pearl, says that people who work downtown often take up all of the on-street parking, leaving no place for shoppers to leave their car.
However, Lynch, whose store sells locally crafted clothes, art and food, says that downtown New Albany was the only place she considered when opening her business.
“We wanted to be downtown where the energy is,” Lynch said. “We wanted to help promote New Albany and show people the benefits of supporting a local business rather than heading out to a mall.”
Clere says that is a national trend, especially among young people, who want to buy local and live a more authentic lifestyle.
“Sometimes the prices are higher, but the quality is higher,” Clere said. “And it represents where New Albany is going.”
While one reason for that may be advertising, Sajaja says there are some problems that the city could do improve to help the activity in the downtown area increase.
“Public parking is a big issue in this area, and the one-way streets,” Sajaja said.
Terry Lynch agrees. Lynch, owner of Pearls on Pearl, says that people who work downtown often take up all of the on-street parking, leaving no place for shoppers to leave their car.
However, Lynch, whose store sells locally crafted clothes, art and food, says that downtown New Albany was the only place she considered when opening her business.
“We wanted to be downtown where the energy is,” Lynch said. “We wanted to help promote New Albany and show people the benefits of supporting a local business rather than heading out to a mall.”
Clere says that is a national trend, especially among young people, who want to buy local and live a more authentic lifestyle.
“Sometimes the prices are higher, but the quality is higher,” Clere said. “And it represents where New Albany is going.”
