Main Streets success. This month we feature
Economic Development. A growing downtown thrives on the entrepreneurial spirit... and positioning any
business to become a destination is vital in the ephemeral market place.
Main Street Awarded Mediacom Grant
Cable Car Square
Candle Walk
T
his year marks the 30th Annual Cable
Car Square Candle Walk, Friday, Nov.
24, starting at 5 p.m. in Cable Car Square.
The candle walk includes a stroll amid
hundreds of luminaries with festive holiday
music. There will be ample holiday shopping
for all of those on your list as well as appear-
ances by Mr. and Mrs. Claus!
Various activities including cookie, and
ornament decorating, as well as Christmas
karoake will take place on 4th Street. Santa
will come down the elevator at 6 p.m. and greet
children at Annies Lil Bits, at 469 Bluff.
Call Marianne Yount 563-589-0790 for
more information.
W
hen a customer gets into a car with
the sole purpose of visiting a par
ticular store or business, that busi-
ness is considered a destination. Transform-
ing a business into a destination offers a com-
petitive advantage. The good news for ev-
ery independent entrepreneur is that operat-
ing a successful destination business is the
best way to differentiate a
business from larger, better-
capitalized competitors.
Many small business
owners ask, Why do I want
to concern myself with bring-
ing customers from hun-
dreds of miles away to my business? I just
want to get my local customers to spend money
with me.
The process of differentiating businesses
and projecting it to the public so that someone
is motivated to come from hundreds of miles
away to visit your business is exactly the same
process you have to undertake to keep the
local consumer loyal to you. It is exactly the
same process and mind-set that has to change
for a business owner, according to Jon Schallert
with the Schallert Group. He conducts a 2 ½
day Destination Business Boot Camp for small
businesses and helps with this very process
at other Main Street Workshops.
Schallert says its not all
about location anymore. Desti-
nation businesses do not need to
be on high-traffic streets, in hip
neighborhoods, or near the mega-
malls or shopping centers.
Being a Superstore doesnt
make a destination business, either. Every
national super store chain wants to be the
ultimate consumer destination. Most will
never become one. All superstores operate
under the assumption that store size, loca-
tion, and product selection are the predomi-
nant reasons that
New Office Update
M
ediacom awarded Dubuque Main
Street $4,057 for a Cultural Festi-
val tent, at an awards
luncheon, held at the Grand River
Center, at the beginning of October. Iowa First
Lady Christie Vilsack joined Mediacom Com-
munications to present the awards.
The application was submitted in August
requesting a tent which will be configure to
dimensions of the Main Street stage, and be
used for various downtown cultural events
and opportunities, including Dubuque...and
All That Jazz! summer concert series.
Hardly a summer weekend goes by with-
out some type of festival or cultural event.
Inevitably, the weather contributes a large
portion to the outcome of these events, many
of which are held outdoors. The tent will be
available for use in the Spring of 2007.
Mediacom pledged $45,000 in sup-
port this year and pledges to con-
tribute $25,000 annually to support Dubuque
arts and cultural groups through the
Mediacom Cultural Foundation grants.
There were 13 other grant recipients selected
including these downtown entities: the Colts
Drum & Bugle Corps, Dubuque Fine Arts
Society, Dubuque Museum of Art, Fly By
Night, and the Grand Opera House. Thank
you to Mediacom for their generous and last-
ing impact on our community!
Tent will keep bands and
equipment dry in downpours
(Continued on page 3)
T
he move-in date for the new office has
been pushed back to November 13, as
of press time. A light shipment was delayed
by four weeks, thus pushing back the move-
in and installation of other aspects.
Will we be moving in the middle of
November.? Yes. Will it be a bit colder? Yes.
Will we need assistance? Most definitely!
Dubuque Main Street will be moving
our computers, books, and office files to our
new location at 1069 Main Street on the tar-
get date of Nov. 13. We will also continue
sifting through our older collections of
information that we have acquired over the
years.
Watch the newsletter for updates, thank
yous to all of our volunteers, move-in and
office shower information! New Businesses
in Downtown
W
hat exactly is a gin rickey? Joe Hefel
and business partner Eric Frommelt,
two native Dubuquers, have opened Gin
Rickeys at 1447 Central Avenue, at the
former Bodines building. Gin Rickeys
opened in September, after a fourteen-month
renovation. The renovation included gutting
the inside and restoring the façade.
Joe and Eric won the awards for Best
Total Rehabilitation at the Dubuque Main
Street annual meeting and are elegible for a
state award next year. The duo made sure to
include a touch of nostalgia by keeping the
sign that says Double Bubble, from
Bodines. Joe and Eric agreed to call the bar
Gin Rickeys after much research. A gin rickey
is a drink that was made during Prohibition.
Joe said he tried to furnish the bar with a
Prohibition-era motif from the crescent-
shaped, button-backed booths to the tin bro-
cade ceiling and hardwood floors.
The second bar in the back of the build-
ing showcases a large dance floor and a
deejay booth that allows customers of all ages
to request their favorite music. Hours are
Tue.-Thur. 3 p.m.-2 a.m., Fri. and Sat. 4:00p.m.-
2a.m.
Call 563-588-0063 for more information.
The Darkslide
S
heri Coyier is no stranger to the dog
grooming business with 16 years of ex-
perience. Sheri is the owner of Dog Dirty at
1198 White St., previously located at
Dubuques Plaza 20. Sheri began her career
as an intern for a dog groomer in Arizona.
Three years ago, she opened Dog Dirty at
Plaza 20. Business was good, but she felt she
needed a break, and after three months she
decided to close up shop. After many letters
and phone calls from her customers. Sheri is
back by popular demand!
Sheri grooms all breeds of dogs, and
even groomed rabbits for her most loyal cus-
tomers. What sets her apart from other groom-
ers, she believes, is she listens to what the
customer wants. Grooming is scheduled by
appointments only.
Call 563-556-7551 for more information.
T
he Darkslide skateboard shop on 1486
Central Avenue offers a wide variety of
skateboard accessories, clothing, and shoes.
Owner Joel Jackson carries affordably priced
and high quality brands such as Baker, Ele-
ment, Alien Workshop, Dark Star, Stereo, and
DC shoes. Joel makes sure he does not pass
on any extra expense to his customers.
I want to make sure that Im more af-
fordable than my area competition, and have
the same quality, he said. The Dubuque
native started his business on the internet
with an Ebay store that now contains 2,000
items. He continues his mail order business
and is open seven days a week at his Central
location.
Joel enjoys working with the community,
and this past summer he started skateboard
lessons for kids of all ages through the Dubu-
que Park and Recreation. The program al-
lowed children to hone their skateboarding
skills.
If you are interested in knowing what it
takes to accomplish a darkslide (skateboard
jargon!), store hours are Mon.-Fri. 12-7 p.m.,
Sat. 12-5 p.m., and Sun. 12-3 p.m. Call 563-
582-1222 for more information.
Dog Grooming
Gin Rickeys
J
etsetters, an urban clothing store, opened
its door at 1539 Central Avenue at the be-
ginning of October. The store carries all
the hottest pieces from fashion design-
ers Sean John, Lady Enco, Rocawear,
Apple Bottom, and Air Jordan. Many of
the designers have made their mark in
the hip-hop music world and branched
out to designing clothes.
People who are familiar with these
brands and walk into the store are ex-
cited these styles have come to Dubu-
que, said Trista Stewart, store manager.
Jetsetters is modeled after a Chicago
urban store called Man Alive and another
urban store called Freshwear. Jetsetters
also carries many upscale labels not
found in Dubuque and brands such as
Ralph Lauren, Guess, and Lacoste.
Before moving into their Central location,
Trista and her assistant remodeled the inte-
rior by painting, removing worn-out fixtures,
and laying new carpet. The store is fresh and
bright with new styles arriving daily. Store
hours are Mon.-Sat. 12:00-8:00 p.m. and closed
on Sun.
Call 563- 588-4456 for more information
.
Jetsetters
A
re you having a hard time thinking of
the perfect gifts for your family and
friends? Let Dubuque Main Street help you
shop with these great holiday gift ideas:
T-SHIRTS
Be sure to strut around town
in one of our most popular
downtown t-shirts! There are
still a few of the Dubuque...and
All That Jazz t-shirts remain-
ing, get yours today!
XL- $12
PRINTS
A wide selection of
Dubuque... and All That
Jazz prints are ready to
frame and hang! $10
Commemorative Jazz
print $15
Gary Olsen 20th Anni-
versary of Main Street
Print. (17.5 inches x 37
inches) $35
...is Just Around the Corner!
MUSIC
Be sure to get the Best of Dubuque... and
All That Jazz! compila-
tion CD. This 12-track CD
includes the best mix of
Latin-, Rock-, Blues- and
Zydeco-flavored Jazz, in-
cluding: The Salsa