What if?
Thoughts on transforming downtown Brainerd
If long-time downtown Brainerd business owner Rhonda Smith won the lottery, she has a good idea of what she could do with all those funds.
For Smith, an advocate of healthy downtowns, the lottery win would give her the option to buy up all of downtown Brainerd.
She’d put in a jazz club in the third floor ballroom of the Menk Building on Laurel Street. The second floor, where offices were once filled with various professionals, would be transformed into shops along the lines of what was done at Franklin Arts Center.
Smith would like to see boutique clothing stores, a shoe store, a restaurant, all downtown. She’d add valet parking or look into the long talked about parking ramp.
She’d add a soda fountain, a part of downtowns across America a generation ago.
“I’d love to see some of that stuff revisited so people get that old nostalgic feeling,” she said.
With the popularity of all things vintage, Smith said she’d like to create a feeling of stepping back in time for downtown Brainerd. It would be a move to perhaps simpler days when a couple of bucks could buy a good burger and a soda.
Smith said: “It would be cool to see some of that stuff happen.”
RENEE RICHARDSON, senior reporter, may be reached at 855-5852 or renee.richardson@brainerddispatch.com. Follow on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Dispatchbizbuzz.
Comments (14)
Add commentMoney Lost
You would loose your investment. Up and down Brainerd has yet to bring in any jobs that will give a living wage. How would you expect money to be spent when wages do not meet living expences. The fact that your store closes proves this. Look at the leaders, from the town board, to the so called leaders in the Brainerd area. What has been done in the last 20 years to bring good paying jobs here? What help has Brainerd Lakes Area Economic Development Corp really done and why are those in charge still in charge! Show facts of the people working on the floor at 10-12 a hour.
You could also ask for help
You could also ask for help from the Feds at the housing and urban development dept. but then again when was the last time those guys helped anyone develop their housing or their urban? I can’t remember. Love to all – Steve.
Petula Clark would love it.
What if you lured the Brainerd DailyDispatch with all its very highly paid editorial staff back downtown. Cash flowing everywhere. Then opened a new moose Club on top of the
Menk bldg and a new Ben Franklin with all its chic beads and buttons on Laurel would be nice. Four or five new beer joints would seal the deal. Cheers to all - Steve.
Not a bad idea really...
Brainerd needs to play to it's assets and should look back at it's history to identify those assets. In the early years Brainerd came to be because it was a " Hub" created by mid-state junction of North-South/East West travel arteries. That has not changed. What has changed is that over the years through a string of fires, first migration to N.E. and then onto Baxter, Brainerd slowing lost pieces or spokes of the "Hub" that went unnoticed until wheel started to wobble. Those missing spokes might not ever be replaced but can be replaced with new ones.
spokes of the wheel
@myeye08: wonderful wheel metaphor.
@highlander: 10 to 12 an hour! Most jobholders here should be so lucky, unless professionals. The openings for past 3 years have frequently slogged along at just above minimum wage. I think the patrons envisioned for the specialty shops downtown, more of whom would indeed make a nice oldfashioned downtown (great idea from Rhonda and one other), are tourists or summer people in from the lake; and you can still have fun windowshopping or just having a malt if you don't have much money. Wouldn't it be nice to take little kids downtown if your life is pretty hardscrabble, and just enjoy the gorgeous shops? Some might have those little dishes with free cinnamon candy.
What if the much discussed cultural center the last few years, turned down so far, and what Brainerd lacks, rose on an empty lot somewhere near downtown with a concert hall and art kiosks in the big hallways and drew people from all the nearby towns? The Reif Center in Grand Rapids, a much smaller city than Brainerd, is the pride of that town. Well,that can be a planning destination for 5 years or more down the road, after all else has been fixed about downtown, the icing on the cake.
There's so much that could be done in this town--those wonderful Railroad buildings further east should be saved and put to a much grander use, one day. In short, along with boutiques you need some historical grandiosity and a big cultural plan, one that augments the Franklin School's, so that it's a walking tour of interest wherever you turn in the heart of Brainerd. Think of Stillwater. Yes, as somebody said, truly great restaurants, not just a nice coffee bar, would spark up the place right away. Rhonda's historical plans for upper floors are of interest (but I don't know about 3rd floor for ballroom dancing: I'm a senior, how do I get up there to have all that fun?)
People's imaginations are what will help Brainerd start the foxtrot again. Rhonda (and Renee the writer) were so gentle and considerate in sketching out the Smith's feelings and reasons for an exit; I will try to learn from them and take no more potshots that don't offer a solution in same paragraph. Thank you, Renee, for two really nice pieces, the subject made fully human and plenty of food for thought. Hats off.
links of possible interest
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/ground-leve...
and especially:
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/special/columns/ground-leve...
http://www.nal.usda.gov/ric/ricpubs/downtown.html
http://www.exploreminnesota.com/travel-ideas/history-heritage/index.aspx
http://www.exploreminnesota.com/travel-ideas/small-town-charm/index.aspx
http://www.solutionsforamerica.org/viableecon/downtown-revitalization.html
where IS Baxter's 'downtown?'
I said it before. I guess they intended to create one on the road to no where before the recession hit. Poor golf course!
There is potential. Lots of groups have come in and made suggestions. I seem to recall a RUDAT. They talked a lot about a Rail Road theme. These experts recommendations? - probably in a dusty book on some back shelf.
There are some nice businesses down town. People need to stay away from the strip and patronize them and keep them in business.
They are getting a Mayor's office
ready for you in downtown Costco, snow. A regular throne, I've been told.
This Throne is kinda regular, Sir Fair...
Cute - Dutch, what did I miss here?
A throne for Baxter downtown?
As if she
doesn't know. Right.......
Sorry Rhonda, but if you won the lottery, we'ld never hear
from you again. BYE BYE BRAINERD! While downtown could use money, you need to update the area. Those building on Front Street, and many of the apartments are eyesores, and the start of a slum area. Too many bars, too many run down "antique" stores, no color, and too much urban blight.
eyolf is right
about the cars.