In Aid of Hamilton Small Businesses, Part One

This slideshow is of Barton Village. From Wellington Street to Sherman Avenue. It was taken almost two years ago. 

Hamilton has some thriving 'main streets'. (Some so inclined would frame this as 'thriving BIAs'.) Unfortunately, we have at least two areas, two 'main streets' that are in dire need of re-invention. Barton Street as documented above, is one. 

Recently, I saw some commercials for an initiative to bolster small businesses. As in 'retail' businesses. And it got me thinking about getting the same thing going here in Hamilton. So I found myself wanting to post about it. 


But the two streets mentioned above are in such need of not just 'more business' (that is, the equivalent of a new haircut or new makeup or a new outfit), but major surgery. So I quickly realized that I would have to expand my scope. Hence the fact that this is a three-part series. 

I've spent an inordinate amount of my working life in retail. In both Canada and the UK. So I know what the other side of the counter is like. But I'm also a consumer, though not so active a one in the 'materialistic consumption' sense. Still, I know what I like. 


I know what effective merchandising looks like, how powerful good marketing elicits strong responses (and why), what a good consumer experience is comprised of. When the consumer spirit moves me. And what moves me comes from all over the map; from upscale to 'bohemian', from chains to independents, from large-scale presentations to quaint 'laine' shops. So I know how hard it is to run a retail business, how hard it can be to work in the field, and acknowledge how 'shopping' is a part of modern Life.

As a result, I guess I have pretty high standards. Not in the sense of what kinds of stores a main street should have vis a vis the possible 'genres' (but having made an effort to redesign Stoney Creek's downtown, I have some inclinations in that regard), but more from the point-of-view of just doing retail well. And in this declaration, I fully accept that mine is a subjective view. A thoroughly qualified one, but subjective nonetheless.

I knows good retail environments when I sees 'em.

And the ones that are struggling in Hamilton...are really struggling.

Barton Village, I've mentioned. Another is, inarguably, King Street East from John to James. The true 'downtown core'.

I'll take a look at how things got to how they are, but for  now, here are three 'main streets' in Hamilton that are thriving:

Westdale

Locke Street

King Street, Dundas

Next up: What happened?