Downtown business association dips into its reserves two years in a row - is there trouble at the executive level?

Private Sector 100By Pepper Parr

March 28, 2016

BURLINGTON, ON

A number of people write to tell us that both Test Kitchen locations have been closed for a number of months:  Clearly we don’t get out as much as we’d like.  We apologize for the incorrect information – which doesn’t take away from the fact that it was the place to be.  Something was seriously wrong with the business model – but the mood and the food were both great.  Let’s give them credit for giving it at go,

The Finance Department advised the Community and Corporate Services Committee of the 2016 Proposed Budget and Tax Levy for the Burlington Downtown Business Improvement Area

The levy for 2016 will amount to $728,000.

Are the retail people within the BDBA boundaries getting value for the money?

Brian Dean, top toff at the Downtown Business Association was out drumming up business for those of his members that took part in the Red Bag Sale. Too many of his members let the community down last Sunday. Keeping the doors closed while the city works at getting people out on the street isn't thew way the game is played.

Brian Dean, top toff at the Downtown Business Association was out drumming up business for those of his members that took part in the Red Bag Sale.

The BDBA is mandated to improve the downtown core and make it a place where retail and service operations can prosper; to market the downtown core as a place that people will want to go to for hospitality, entertainment and shopping.

How well did it do that job in 2015? Not all that well.

Those who concern themselves with the downtown part of the city give the word vibrant one heck of a workout.

And there are occasions when the downtown core is vibrant – but the event that brings about the vibrancy, the buzz, and the excitement has precious little to do with BDBA events.

As long as all the wheels are on at the Finish Line - 100 yards away - it's legit.

Good crowds – but they aren’t shoppers. How often is Brant Street shut down for events that harm the retailers?

Sound of Music, RibFest, the really neat old car rally that took place, the Amazing Bed Race – those were events put on by other organizations and they all had people strolling along Brant street – did the event pull any business into the retail outlets? Don’t think they did.

There was an interesting promotional event put on by the Yellow Pages people – it looked like they got more benefit out of the event than the merchants who took part.

The most significant failure on the part of the BDBA is the way they dress up (or rather fail to dress up) the store fronts during the Christmas season.

East side of Brant Street xx days before Christmas 2013.

East side of Brant Street 10 days before Christmas 2013.

It has been desperately dismal the past two years. A number of the major retailers on Brant Street don’t spend a dime on making their stores look festive.

Oakville does superb job and Milton is pretty good.

There are some retailers who are not on Brant Street who do a very nice job of decorating their windows; some of the retailers on the side street also make a real effort – but there isn’t a collective push – an occasion when the lights come on and the place looks inviting.

To add to the sorry situation – city hall doesn’t look as good as it could.

Where one does see that sense that Christmas has come is when the light go on in Spencer Smith Park – there are almost too many  displays.

Talk with the members of the BDBA and you will hear less than complimentary comments from the association leadership. The negative remarks come from the members of the association that make that extra effort.

Retail is a tough business – for those that set up their shops along Brant Street – it is not easy and they need all the help they can get.

Test Kitchen Pop Up from other side st

A restaurant that set up a “popup” patio that increased his capacity and brought something interesting and different to Brant Street. will there be another one this summer?

Shopping is an experience, dining out can is an experience. And there are places in Burlington that are delightful experiences. Get into the Test Kitchen on Brant and be prepared for an experience. The prices are close to unbelievably decent and the place is usually packed.

The pure retail operations have to rely on the quality and price point of their inventory but most important – the level of service.

There is a dry cleaner in the small mall on Brant Street that bends over backwards for her clients. The family are immigrants and they work hard. One could bet dollars to donuts that they have never heard of the BDBA and that the organization does very little if anything for them.

The budget that was put forward and approved in principle by council had some stress lines that didn’t get much in the way of attention.
The BDBA had to draw down $10,000 from their reserve in 2015 and will draw down an additional $10,000 in 2016. At some point that well goes dry.

BDBA boundary mao Han 2015

The association boundaries were expanded in 2015 bringing in a large automotive dealer that knows something about marketing – they might have some impact on a lackluster BDBA marketing program.

The boundaries for the BDBA were extended in 2015 – that doesn’t seem to have had any impact – perhaps it needs some time to work itself into the way things get done.

And that may be the problem with the BDBA – the way thigs get done.

Council didn’t ask a single question of the BDBA delegation that was on hand to speak to their 2016 budget. It seems that having to dip into a reserve two years in a row is just the way things are done.

Mix that in with the overuse of the word “vibrant” and you just might have a train wreck in the making.

BDBA budget

Well over one third of the budget is for staff and administration – that $155,000 isn’t explained. Is this a healthy budget going forward.

The levy of $728,000, is an increase of $14,610 or 2.0% over 2015. Overall, expenses have increased by $24,610 or 3.3%. Key expenditure increases for the BDBA’s 2016 work plan include enhanced investment in marketing, reinvestment in business recruitment services and sponsorship for the Burlington Comedy Festival. Additional revenues of $10,000 from the BIA Reserve Fund to balance the budget.

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4 comments to Downtown business association dips into its reserves two years in a row – is there trouble at the executive level?

  • That you used Test Kitchen as an example of success for the downtown is telling: Test Kitchen is out of business for both its Burlington locations. There does not seem to be a comprehensive plan to qualify, attract, and retain businesses that build an “environment” that makes downtown Burlington distinctive. At times, it seems that the city and major event planners are actively hostile towards the downtown business community. A recent example was the Chilly Half Marathon where a McDonald’s truck was sampling free coffee in the downtown core. I am sure that Coffee Culture, The Village Perk (now out of business) Lakeshore Coffee House, and Tamp Coffee were happy that a corporate behemoth was given the exposure. Maybe it is foreshadowing who is taking over the Second Cup location? Perhaps Burlington can take a lesson from the BIA of Corning, NY. Not a Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts or McDonalds within the boundary of the core. While the rest of the town is struggling the downtown is truly “vibrant.” An inverse of what is seems to be happening here.

  • Enid

    Test Kitchen has been closed for almost 2 months…once again, authoritative reporting at its best.

  • DowntownBurlingtonian

    Test Kitchen has been closed for months.

  • Judy

    Unless it reopened recently, Test Kitchen has been closed for at least a couple of months.