by Max Marbut
Staff Writer
Tuesday morning, life was getting back to normal Downtown following the holiday weekend and Laura Street’s temporary transformation into the scene of the three-day street party that was the 2009 Jacksonville Jazz Festival.
As merchants were getting back to business as usual, the superlatives concerning this year’s celebration of music, art and wine were the main topic of conversation in terms of both the show and the above average commerce the event delivered for businesses.
“The book store and the cafe both broke sales records Saturday and Sunday, so it was a record-setting weekend,” commented Ron Chamblin, owner of Chamblin’s Uptown. “We saw faces that we don’t see for Art Walk so I know a lot of new people have discovered we’re here.”
Doug Ganson, owner of Karlene’s Deli, Dipper Dan’s Ice Cream and Sundrez at the Landing said, “It was great. The City did a fantastic job and the staff in the Special Events Department deserves to be commended.”
Like other merchants, Ganson said he’s sure business would have been even better if the weather had cooperated with sunshine instead of overcast skies and the threat of passing rain showers. “But you can’t control the weather,” he added.
Even without perfect meteorology, the festival drew an enthusiastic crowd that strolled from Hemming Plaza to the Landing, stopping along the way to purchase food and beverages, patronize restaurants and shop in stores.
“Kudos to the City’s Special Events Department. They went all-out and it showed,” commented Downtown Vision, Inc. Executive Director Terry Lorince. “The venues worked really well and the festival was absolutely terrific.”
While it’s difficult to get an accurate attendance figure at a non-ticketed event Lorince estimated the festival crowd based on DVI’s experience with tracking attendance at First Wednesday Art Walk.
“There had to have been at least 12,000 people at the festival at any given time and people were coming and going all day and into the evening, so 25,000 or more attendance would be a conservative estimate,” said Lorince.
Zodiac Grill owner Jerry Ewais also said the Jazz Festival brought a new crowd Downtown. As he watched people eating in his restaurant over the weekend, “I didn’t see many of my regulars. It was new faces who came to the festival,” he said. “It was very well-organized by the City and a great thing for Downtown.”
Kirk Gonzalez owns Hemming Plaza Jewelers and said while the festival didn’t generate week-before-Christmas level sales, having the event Downtown and across the street from his display windows generated a lot of exposure for the business.
“People who don’t usually come Downtown saw the store and now they know we are here. There was lots of foot traffic and many people shopping. I’m already planning for next year. I think I’m going to create a special Jazz Festival item like a key ring or perhaps a bracelet with festival charms that can be added each year.
“Saturday night we closed the shop and I got a bottle of wine and walked around and listened to some jazz. I never did that when the festival was at Metropolitan Park,” said Gonzalez.
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