Here we go again, as a person who has worked on and off Downtown since 1993, the expansion of night time hours for non-restaurant retailers has been thrown around like a volleyball since then. Some don’t think it would work, but ironically the longest running retailer downtown, Zandbroz, has been open for nights for years, and if it was hurting business, they would have ended the night time hours years ago.
I have often said if I were a downtown retailer that sold wooden geese, boutique dresses or cheese, I would be open from 11-7 or 8 PM. I have never understood the day time hours of these businesses.
I encourage retailers to try it out for at least a summer, and I recommend 80-100% participation. It won’t work if just a couple more do it. If we want Downtown to thrive, we need to start operating it like a big city Downtown and not a Podunk Downtown. In other words more shopping and entertainment opportunities and MORE FOOD TRUCKS at night!