Downtown Kalamazoo

1. Downtown Kalamazoo's business area is well designed, and creates a contemporary, welcoming atmosphere. Sidewalks along Kalamazoo Mall Avenue/Burdick Street were all wide, allowing acrowds to pass through if necessary. There were tables set up with umbrellas and chairs, inviting those on the street to stay and enjoy the surroundings. Benches were also set up along the paths. However, the benches tended to attract some people that otherwise wouldn't be on the street, just as Gibbs said they might. Bricks were laid into the sidewalks in a clean looking design, and on the parking areas in the street as well. A variety of shops and restaurants lined the street, which means that the downtown can appeal to different types of people.

2. In order to improve the downtown area, there should be more water fountains on the street for customers. Although the current setup may force walkers to make a purchase in one of the cafes or restaurants, if there are water fountains they may be more willing to stick around rather than leave in order to go somewhere else for hydration. I noticed that underneath the small trees located on the sidewalks, there were flowers. However, the flowers appeared to be wilting, and were closer to a light shade of brown rather than a golden yellow. Either the flowers need to be taken care of better, or they should be removed. Something needs to be done about the empty storefronts. Even though businesses may go under without prior warning, there should be a plan in place in order to at least block out the windows with either reflective covering to put on the windows, or in order to create a makeshift showcase in the empty windows. There was an empty storefront that had construction going on inside, right next to a visually unappealing Chinese family restuarant. This was next to Sprout, a newer and nicer restaurant. However, the surrounding area may distract customers, and cause them to look in a different direction for food.

3. "The same people who tell Gibbs in focus groups that they are tired of malls complain that many small towns are, well, too small. Why drive half an hour to browse through only a handful of stores? Gibbs's rule of thumb is that a town needs at least 200,000 square feet of retail space, about the same amount as in a small mall, to become what retailers call a destination--a place that people are willing to travel to."
As I was walking around downtown, I noticed this aspect. Although the stores and restaurants in downtown Kalamazoo carry upscale brands and items that would attract customers, they are not large stores at all. What I saw was variety. There was V&A Bootery, which sold shoes, different men's and women's retail stores, a sports store, and a rock climbing facility among restaurants each catering to a different cuisine. However, the shops are only so big, and therefore cannot carry a stock that rivals the stores in the malls. People may be willing to travel to the downtown every once in a while, but as far as consuming, they would be much more likely to hit a department store or the mall.