Commercial Street businesses fight for their own First Friday

However, the grassroots-organized event scheduled the first Friday of each month – the same time as downtown’s First Friday Art Walk – and some actions by Commercial Street folks have riled downtown business owners, according to one organizer.

Setting the dominoes in motion

Commercial Street and downtown jointly held First Friday Art Walk on May 4, with City Utilities providing buses to shuttle people between the two areas.

“Everyone had a wonderful experience that night,” said Jan Hyde, owner of Hyde Gallery, 210 E. Walnut St., and president of nonprofit First Friday Art Walk Inc.

At that time, Commercial Street business owners had no plans to form their own version of the event. Then came the DWI Task Force with an unfavorable report.

The DWI Task Force on May 9 released a study intended to convince Springfield City Council to re-establish a 200-foot buffer between Commercial Street businesses selling alcohol. The task force – a citizens’ group that was partially funded by Assemblies of God and included members Charlie O’Reilly and Greene County Sheriff Jack Merritt – said that adding bars on Commercial Street could lead to more assaults and drunk-driving incidents.

In August 2005, the city targeted live music venues, which could serve alcohol, to be a catalyst for Commercial Street redevelopment.

The DWI Task Force’s findings didn’t sit well with Commercial Street business owners, many of whom saw the report as falsely casting Commercial Street in a bad light and hampering its revival. The business owners held a press conference in response to tout the street’s virtues, led by Lyle Foster, owner of Big Momma’s Coffee & Espresso Bar, 217 E. Commercial.

After the business owners rallied around that cause, they were inspired to do more to improve their neighborhood and their livelihoods.

They began to meet weekly at Big Momma’s to discuss ideas. By the end of May they had decided to start First Friday on Commercial Street.

“There’s this kind of small-town feel about Commercial Street,” Foster said of the tight business community.

Territorial conflict

First Friday on Commercial Street began June 1, though turnout was poor because of heavy rain and lack of promotion.

The July 6 edition was more organized, and the weather cooperated, but it also coincided with Independence Day weekend. Still, Foster said the 30 participating business reported satisfactory turnout of about 100 people per establishment.

Commercial Club pays $100 for CU buses to shuttle people between Commercial Street and downtown. That service began in July, and it’s the main point of contention among many downtown business owners, according to Hyde.

“We felt like they just glommed on to what we already had, sending a bus down here to retrieve people from our event,” she said. “That’s been the frustration.”

Hyde said she’s received “nasty e-mails” from unhappy members of downtown’s First Friday Art Walk, which has a nine-year history and now draws thousands of people each month.

While Hyde said she and her colleagues wish Commercial Street the best in developing its own event, she also said downtown business owners are protective against encroachment on their turf. She doesn’t have a problem with Commercial Street using the term “First Friday,” but she wants to see them develop independently of downtown.

“I think (Commercial Street’s) never looked so great with (Askinosie Chocolate) factory and all these wonderful things that are happening down there, but they’re going to have to develop their district for people to want to go,” Hyde said.

Rusty Worley, executive director of Urban Districts Alliance, an organization that serves both downtown and Commercial Street, said downtown’s First Friday Art Walk could benefit from Commercial Street’s event, especially with bus linkage. He said First Friday on Commercial Street adds amenities and can draw more people to the larger-scale event.

“That notion of ‘greater downtown,’ I think, will continue to be promoted more and more over time,” Worley said.

Justin Hough, Commercial Club board member and owner of Innoviro, 311 W. Commercial, said it’s important to not “step on anybody’s toes” as Commercial Street embarks on its version of First Friday.

Shawn Askinosie, attorney and owner of Askinosie Chocolate, 514 E. Commercial, also participates in the new First Friday. He said he doesn’t foresee any legal trouble over the situation.

“When Googling the phrase ‘Art Walk,’ I found 852,000 entries, so I don’t think there will be a problem,” Askinosie said. “Why would there be a problem when we are all promoting art and the center city?”

Planning the party

There are four business owners spearheading Commercial Street’s First Friday: Foster; Adie Gateley of Twin Town Studios, 210 W. Commercial; and Jason Mitchell and Michael Mardis of theworkshop 308, 308 W. Commercial.

Gateley, who along with Mitchell has developed flyers for the events, said First Friday is critical to growing her photography business.

“I’d feel like I’m letting myself down if I don’t participate,” she said.

On Aug. 3, First Friday on Commercial Street will feature at least six musical acts either inside or outside Commercial Street businesses, Foster said. Also, many merchants, such as flea markets and thrift stores, are planning to hold sidewalk sales during the event, scheduled 6–10 p.m.

Foster is excited about the future of First Friday on Commercial Street.

“A number of the people coming to Commercial Street haven’t been up here in 10, 15 (or) 20 years,” Foster said. “They find it refreshing to find something (happening) on Commercial Street again.”

SBJ.net Poll

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