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No Downtown Events Impacting Business’ Bottom Line

‘It Hurts A Lot’

By Dennis Phillips 5 min read

Throughout the year, there's usually several events attracting area residents and tourist to downtown Jamestown.

But that wasn't the case in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since March, there's been no public gatherings in downtown Jamestown, which means no Lucille Ball Festival, no hockey tournaments at Northwest Arena and no movies and shows at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts.

So how has this impacted downtown businesses?

"It hurts a lot. Without the extra business, it hurts the bottomline," said Tom Constantine, The Cherry Lounge owner. "(When there are events) it helps a lot. It probably triples (business compared to) a regular day. Especially during hockey tournaments at the arena and Lucy Fest."

Constantine said downtown events like the Jamestown Cruise-In, Third Thursday concerts at the Winter Garden Plaza and the Jamestown Christmas and Holiday Celebration parade is always a boost to business.

"Anytime there's anything downtown, you're going to get a few extra people and sometimes you get a lot of extra people. Especially during hockey tournaments," he said.

What 2021 will have in store for local businesses as far as downtown events has yet to be determined. Even if there's a successful vaccine for COVID-19 and it's distributed safely to the public, the decision to allow public gatherings and events in the city won't be made locally, said Anthony Cusimano, Gialy's Italian Restaurant owner.

"I don't think it will be in the hands of local government. It's in the hands of (Gov.) Andrew Cuomo," he said. "I don't think it stems from local government and policy makers. Local government is doing a good job. The best they can."

Cusimano discussed how local officials have assisted businesses, which included the Jamestown Local Development Corp. freezing loans for several months and now allowing them to make interest-only payments, of which Gialy's was one of 11 businesses to receive this financial assistance. Also, city officials distributed more than $500,000 to more than two dozen businesses during the first round of CARES Act funding.

"I don't know how they can do more," Cusimano said about city officials. "They've offered grants, so they've been pretty good with that. I think they are trying hard (to assist businesses)."

Eric Hagglund, 4 Below Haggy's Bar & Grill owner, agreed that local officials are assisting businesses like with the new parklet program. A parklet is a platform that is installed on parking spaces in front of businesses that allows for outdoor dining, which lets restaurants serve more customers. Hagglund was the first business owner to receive a permit from the city to install a parklet.

"We got it late in the season (September), but a few nights it was really successful. When the weather was good, it was sold out with people calling and reserving seats and tables," he said. "We placed a fire table out there and during the fall people liked sitting by that, and enjoyed sitting outside. It worked out well for us. I'm looking forward to April 1 (when the parklet can be reinstalled) to put it back out there."

In June, city officials approved laws to allow for outdoor dining on sidewalks, which helped Joe Town, owner of Pace's Pizzeria.

"City officials helped a lot at the beginning. I wrote a letter asking them for outdoor dining and they were quick to act," he said. "I really appreciated that. During the weekend, all of our tables were full. It helped us out."

Even with the assistance from city officials, not every move made has been the right one. Town said the "reverse" Christmas parade, which routed people down Third Street -- where Pace's Pizzeria is located -- in vehicles to see "floats" or displays from businesses setup in parking spaces and Santa Claus next to the lit Christmas Tree at the Jamestown Municipal Building, was a disaster for his business.

"The second busiest day of the year is usually the Christmas parade," Town said. "This year, it was gridlock on Third Street. I probably lost a couple hundred dollars in business that night."

Hagglund suggested there should be a special council created with business owners, city officials and other local stakeholders to discuss the issues impacting the community.

"We need to develop a special council to figure out things together," he said. "(Cusimano) from Gialy's and I went to high school together, and we're friends. We talk on a weekly basis on what is working. If he's pack, he's sending people my way and I'm doing the same thing. We are working together. If we could do a special council with everyone working together with the same goal of (keeping businesses open), that would be great. I don't like seeing the Beer Snob close. I don't like seeing Taco Hut close. That hurts. I'd like to see everyone working together for the same cause -- focus on everyone being successful."

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