The Ave is open for business and the word’s getting out.The “proof is in the pudding,” as the saying goes, and is borne out from what I’ve seen and heard from several downtown merchants. After a period of decline during the worst of the shutdown, business, according to some, is almost back to normal. And this is a time when usually business is down, as people head for the shore or other vacation spots.
The reason for this could be because people are staying close to home, but another factor comes into play—partly as a result. People from out of town—and out of the area—are finding or rediscovering Vineland and what our downtown has to offer.
In my walks downtown, I have a chance to talk to many people. I hear people tell me that they come from Cape May, other shore points, from Philadelphia and surrounding suburbs, or from other points out of the area. This can be attested to by merchants who find out where their customers are coming from. People tell me that they also are fascinated by the various sites Vineland has, such as the Palace of Depression, our sprawling downtown district, and our beautiful parks and open spaces.
So the word’s getting out—and we’re doing more to push the word out even further. We’re aggressively marketing The Ave in publications such as this and other print media—as well as broadcast and social media. Look for the articles and advertisements. Patronize our businesses and see for yourself what others are seeing—that The Ave is open for business and moving ahead.
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Register now for Main Street Vineland’s second annual Running The Ave 5K, Cumberland County’s premier road race, to take place rain or shine on Sunday, September 13, starting at 9 a.m., on Landis Avenue. It will be presented in cooperation with Second Capital Running, with Newfield National Bank as the major sponsor. This year’s race, in the light of the current crisis, will accommodate social distancing and public health. It will be an example of how future races can safely happen with large participant numbers. Registration is $25. To enter or for details, go to the Main Street Vineland website—TheAve.biz.
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Remember these important reminders:
• “Shop Local—Shop Safe” is an initiative in partnership with the Greater Vineland Chamber of Commerce to emphasize shopping our local businesses, whether it’s at the retail or supplier level, and doing so in a safe and responsible way, following the proper social distancing guidelines. We now have yard signs about this campaign, so you can publicize it and show your support. Contact the Main Street office to get yours.
• Take Out Thursdays continues and is Main Street Vineland’s way of helping our restaurants on The Ave., even as they reopen to indoor service. Use that occasion—and any day—to patronize our many downtown restaurants and get a takeout. Sample authentic multicultural cuisine; keep our business climate healthy.
A further reminder to go to the home page of our website— The Ave.biz—for links to initiatives to help our local businesses during these hard economic times.
Main Street Vineland is here to help. In the spirit of social distancing and respecting the safety of our staff, our office is currently closed to walk-in public though we are still working every day. We pass this information along to our businesses every Thursday afternoon on SNJ Today 99.9 POP FM, Channel 22, and on Facebook Live on facebook.com/snjtodayradio.
