Krista Leaders knows first hand how the economic downturn has affected small local business owners.
Leaders, 44, owned a small stained glass studio on Altantic Avenue before the recession forced her to close down. She is now the project manager for the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association, where she works to help save other owners from a similar fate.
The key, Leaders said, is to find creative ways to reach out to customers and drive pedestrian traffic along Atlantic Avenue.
First Fridays is a program Leaders helps run through the Business Improvement Association that works to achieve that goal. By creating an almost carnival like attraction once a month, local businesses are benefiting from a renewed surge of local interest.
First Fridays has been around since November 2006 and was originally conceived as a way to “promote and support local artists,” according to its website. It has since grown to become an important social and economic event for the community.
Each month, businesses along Atlantic Avenue prepare special attractions for pedestrians that are free and open to the public.
Events this month included music, food and drinks, and booths where children could get their face painted or take a picture with Santa.
Adding to the carnival atmosphere were a roaming street juggler, best known to Cal State Long Beach students as “Rusty Balls,” and the Bixby Knolls mascot, the Knolls Ranger. There was also a Christmas tree and Menorah lighting ceremony early in the evening.
Local business owners said the attractions are paying off. Roy Robbins, 60, owner of Roy Robbins Gifts & Stationery, said he has seen a 35 to 40 percent jump in single-day sales on First Friday now when compared to the first time he participated in the event.
“If everyday could be First Friday, I’d be a very happy camper,” Robbins said.
Robbins echoed Leaders’ view that the difficult economic conditions mean small business owners have to get creative to survive. As an example, he said he now uses Facebook to get the word out about his store.
“A lot of people who are my customers are on Facebook so you’re really actually getting to people who are the customer base,” he said.
Robbins said he also reaches out to customers with special First Friday coupons and through a Bixby Knolls merchant show scheduled later in the month at the Expo building on the 4300 block.
At least one business owner said the economic downturn has opened up opportunities that wouldn’t have been available otherwise.
Douglas Orr, 51, said he was able to open the Gallery Expo because the building it is in was lying empty. When the gallery started out, Orr says he was something like a “squatter.” It is now a self-sufficient money making operation.
“These two galleries are here because it’s a bad time. If times were good, we would never have access to this building,” Orr said.
“It’s the same with phantom galleries downtown,” he said. “Whenever you have a bad time like this, all these little art venues start appearing everywhere, and when times get good again, rents go back up again and all the art will start disappearing.”
Orr said there is always a market for art, although tastes change in favor of smaller, cheaper pieces.
Orr credits the existence of his business to the BIA, saying the galleries wouldn’t exist without them. He hopes to stay in business as long as rent remain affordable.
“If we can make an impression during the bad times, we’re hoping that when the good times come, that there will be such an imprint on the city that they’ll let us keep it,” he said.
Locals on the street seemed to be enjoying November’s First Friday and came with a mind to shop. Linda Johnson, 69, is a CSULB alumna who checked out the shops on Friday.
“I was motivated in case I could find anything unique for shopping,” Johnson said, “but also to get into the holiday spirit.”
Johnson said she came in response to an ad in the Press-Telegram. She said she came during the summer as well and “really enjoyed it.”
With economic conditions still down nationally, the merchants on Atlantic Avenue continue to search for creative ways of doing business. With events like First Fridays and other outreach activities, they are able to catch a glimmer of hope.
As for Leaders, she says she is done with owning a small business for now. She says she enjoys finding creative ways to help other business owners as well as the stability afforded by a regular nine-to-five job.
“I like the satisfaction of knowing I’m going to get paid,” she said.
First Fridays happens on the first Friday of every month, except January. First Fridays take place on Atlantic Avenue between Bixby Road and San Antonio Drive. For more information visit their website at http://www.bixbyknollsinfo.com/index.html.
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