By reporter Steven Smalley
The Magnolia Chamber of Commerce has the gears of business working overtime in an attempt to improve the?retail climate in the neighborhood. Last Thursday night a group of over 60 people met at the Magnolia United Church?of Christ to hear from consultants hired to give their take on the overall picture.
The branding consultant went first. The newly designed blue logo with wavy lines to indicate water reads, ?Discover?Magnolia.?
?Discover Magnolia came from a group of residents, business owners, and Chamber members, who got together to?come up with the identity,? says Greg Carnese, Executive Director of the Chamber. ?Other neighborhoods have?identities, Magnolia has not really had one. Our close proximity to water was incorporated. The idea was included to?form the new brand graphic.?
The idea was to embrace the whole of the Magnolia area including Discovery Park, Interbay, and Fisherman?s?Terminal, according to Carnese.
?Through a recent survey we learned residents want more businesses ? more reasons to stay here ? more?restaurants, more retail,? Carnese continued. ?Part of what we?re trying to do is to have the people who live in?Magnolia, stay in Magnolia. This is in conjunction with attracting others who live outside of the community. The idea is?to help the businesses be successful.?
A retail business consultant, Beth Dufek from Downtown Works, was next at the meeting. She opened a few eyes to?the good and the needy of business enterprises in the Village. ?Retail is a tough business,? she said.
?In a survey, Magnolia residents said a lack of restaurants is a concern to keep them here in the neighborhood,??Carnese explained. ?Many go to Ballard for their dining experience. They?re also asking for a greater diversity of retail.?
Dufek laid out the positive aspects of the Village she observed: It looks like a real downtown, she said. It had a?good scale and range of cuisine. From the survey she mentioned Magnolians thought highly of the events in the?Village. Plenty of free parking was a plus as well.
Then there were the drawbacks: Not easy to reach, no signs pointing the way, and not supported by local?residents.
?The downside of the business experience in Magnolia, according to the consultant, is the buildings look tired ? the?businesses look sad. Things look a little worn out. The business community could use a facelift,? Carnese said.
Dufek had suggestions. She said to capitalize on the unique charm of the area, add murals to the big walls such?as the ones on Serendipity Cafe or Uptown Espresso, fill empty storefronts, and encourage more housing in the?Village.
In closing, Carnese was upbeat.
?There are so many young families here now. There?s a population explosion going on here in Magnolia,? he said.??The businesses that are here are doing pretty good.?