About a dozen City of Lodi staffers and members of the Lodi Chamber of Commerce paid visits to several small downtown businesses Tuesday to let them know the city was “open for business.”
This week is Small Business Appreciation Week, and economic development director Luis Aguilar thought it was the perfect time to visit the retailers, restaurants, salons and offices that call Downtown Lodi home.
Visiting the city’s small businesses was a practice Aguilar routinely undertook when he served in a similar capacity for the City of Elk Grove.
Aguilar said visiting downtown businesses was a way to thank them for serving Lodi, and also a great way to let them know the city is about to launch its Downtown Specific Plan, which will focus on improving the business climate, help the city determine which direction to take economically, and identify where to allocate resources.
“We said ‘let’s get out in the community and make them aware of the process we’re undertaking,’” he said. “There’s always a story behind businesses. They put their dreams into it. It’s not just that they have really good pizza or something like that. They put their souls into this, and that’s really the spirit of today.”
Businesses throughout Downtown Lodi were visited by Mayor Lisa Craig, Vice Mayor Cameron Bregman and Lodi City Councilman Ramon Yepez, Police Chief Rick Garcia, Community Development Director John Della Monica, Interim City Manager Andrew Keys and chamber president and CEO JP Doucette, among others.
Representatives broke into six teams of two or three, and Craig visited businesses along the south side of Pine Street between Pleasant Avenue to Sacramento Street.
Before hitting the streets, Craig said she and her fellow representatives all had a stake in the day’s excursion.
“Whether you’re a business owner, with law enforcement, or provide loans or support services, as we do in the city, these people are our constituents,” she said. “We are excited about having the chance to go out and support them. This isn’t just an investment in our community and businesses. This is really about our economy, our retail and restaurants, and making sure jobs stay local.”
During her visits, Craig handed Pine Street businesses a survey they could complete detailing what the city is doing that works, what needs improvement, and how local businesses could better be served.
Danielle Dorton and Mark Hypolite, co-owners of McKinley’s Frame Shop & Gift Boutique, said one of the more common concerns they and their neighbors on West Pine Street have is the lack of parking.
Many of their customers like to park in front of the stores they intend to visit, and while some shops attract more patrons than others at times, it makes parking near your favorite one difficult, they said.
Dorton and Hypolite both liked how the mayor visited in person to get their feedback or suggestions to improve the downtown area.
“I appreciate (the visit),” Dorton said. “It’s nice that you’re coming in and doing your part.”
“I like to see positive change and I’m glad that I can say this to you in person,” Hypolite said.
Throughout the week, the chamber and the city will host a series of events and initiatives aimed at supporting and showcasing local small businesses, including webinars, launching new online resources, and sharing inspiring small business success stories.
“The small businesses are what make our community unique,” Doucette said. “This is so important, and I think our biggest opportunity for growth is encouraging more small business and helping them grow and thrive.”
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