Dedicated to Empowering and Informing the Burlingame Community

Constructive Ideas

Thought I would start a new thread where we can list constructive suggestions for DBID.

Thanks to Carole and others for some great ideas to start the ball rolling:

  1. Map at street corners showing businesses off Burlingame Avenue and parking areas

  2. Senior Day/Teen Day/Kids Day promotions with 5-10% discounts

  3. Banners unifying all downtown streets – the sidestreets and the Avenue

  4. Better education that the Shuttle is for everyone and not just hotel guests

  5. Shuttle would advertise discount days

  6. Shuttle driver given instructions to "promote" Broadway and Burlingame

  7. Billboards in San Bruno and San Mateo advertising Burlingame

  8. Radio and TV spots prior to events like Christmas

  9. Advertising in Daily Journal and others

  10. Inclusion in free advertisements in San Mateo Times

  11. More benches on the sidewalks

  12. More community events like parades, community awards and community get togethers

  13. Making the sidestreets feel more inclusive to the whole

Join the conversation ….

– Written by Fiona

Posted in

31 responses to “Constructive Ideas”

  1. Jenn

    Thanks for doing this, Fiona. Please add to number one, parking areas also noted on the directories.

  2. Jenn

    Also, could we start a survey, like the Broadway one. In fact, if Broadway doesn’t mind, I think the same survey could be used for our downtown, perhaps with the addition of a few questions, like, would more density, in exchange for more housing, a theatre complex, etc. be acceptable to you? I don’t know how Broadway intends to reach the non-net group, but couldn’t the surveys be available at the city and at various stores, like Books Inc? They probably thought of this. Maybe there could be a repository there, also, to make it easy for people.

  3. Carole

    This is great. A positive thread. Thanks Fiona

  4. fred

    Maybe, you should allow the BID members to vote on the alternatives.

  5. carole

    I think these are just ideas that would give them a perspective on the consumers view. It is the consumers that they are trying to attract.

  6. Bruce

    Good ideas and positive suggestions for some of those merchants on the Avenue. However, I just can’t see how those business owners like attorney, doctor, accountant…etc. would benefit from the list above?!?

  7. carole

    I think the only Attorneys that are well known are Horn & co. Didnt know that there are doctors around there. Most businesses need some advertising. The ones who do not want to participate should not be forced to join.

  8. Jenn

    Well, if there are several attorneys, doctors, etc. here, I sure don’t know that they exist. Maybe that is because of the lack of advertisements. They probably live from referrals and from the Yellow Pages. That’s why a directory plaque would be so important. You may not need an attorney right this minute, but you may remember you saw a reference to one on the map. Technically, we don’t have a “visitors center.” If the Chamber were occupied more frequently, it could function as one. In many towns, particularly in Europe, the hotels hand out basic maps, with streets and businesses that occupy the buildings, each with the businesses’ Logo on it, reduced. It is very easy to understand. Carmel does that, too. Something like that map on a street corner or part of the parking lot, near a bench or seating area would be good advertising. The smaller, paper version could be available at hotels, etc.

  9. Fiona

    Interesting you should ask about doctors and attorneys. I read the Cordair website to be clear about the reasons why some of the merchants are upset over and above the gazillions (sic) for a website and gazillions being paid to a local business.

    (1) Pam, Stamp shop, says her business is a “museum” and closes her shop during parades because of “theft”.
    (2) Psychotherapist says her “clients neither care about nor are impressed by Xmas decorations or Art in the Avenue”
    (3) Cari, psychologist, says it is unfair to be charged the same as a business. What would she classify it as? Service provider?
    (4) “Xmas parade, Avenue festivals, bike races do not bring new businesses to my establishment”
    (5) Cynthia says “street fairs, trolley cars do not benefit doctors, lawyers, accountants, tile companies, mortgage brokers, architects and other professional service providers”.

    The above business people would obviously like to delete our community events, holiday decorations and the shuttle service. That would save $28,198 for events and please add on the shuttle service costs which are shared by the Broadway BID.

    Please read the website for other reasons but I thought these were a very sad commentary on Burlingame.

  10. jean

    These professionals must have choosen this Burlingame area over many others for a good reason. Maybe the prestige, the beauty, close to their homes, beautiful neighborhoods. I know folks who but P.O. Boxes here just for the address. It does seem they are benefitting from something, one hopes, other than their reputation. If it is only reputation, they certainly could take up office space in any lower rent area.

  11. gerald

    While the shuttle is targeted at tourists, it would be nice if the shuttle stops were clearly marked.

    There is a FREE B SHUTTLE bus stop sign on a pole on California Drive, southbound by Broadway. But the bus route has changed and this is no longer a stop! I have not noticed a sign posted where the bus does stop on Broadway, however.

    Informational kiosks on both Broadway and Burlingame Avenue (and perhaps even at the Burlingame Plaza?) might be helpful. Posting signage there about upcoming community events, the city’s web site, the shuttle bus schedule, etc., could be a means of informing people.

  12. Jenn

    Great, Gerald. I agree the shuttle stops need markers. What is the town’s logo? Is it an oak tree? I’m thinking of the logo on the city site. It’s not great, though. There should be a unifying logo for the shuttle. I absolutley love Cresent Creative’s shopping lady logo, but I think we’d need a different one for the shuttle, or? (It may be too frightening for men who don’t want to be shuttled to shop., at least my husband would never voluntarily go in a shopping shuttle.)

  13. jean

    Jenn, there is a good survey on Terry Nagels site under “city issues”.

  14. Jenn

    Leave it to Terry to take care of it. I think this information is also useful to potential business people contemplating coming here. It could save them the cost and disappointment of a business not working out., or help them to start one that did.

  15. Fiona

    http://www.terrynagel.com/main.php?
    What a great survey. Mrs. Nagel once again shows why she is respected for her hard work and dedication.

  16. joe baylock

    Jenn,
    The solution to making men more comfortable shopping downtown is quite simple. Add a hardware store. I can’t tell you how many times I have to get on my bike or into my car to go to the small Ace on Broadway or to Wisnom’s or all the way to Orchard Supply. Usually it’s because I need some little thing (#8 brass oval head wood screw), but once there I buy other things from the hardware store or the surrounding businesses. For example, that Office Depot on El Camino in Millbrae should thank Orchard every day for bringing people in from all over. I’ll check out the shopping lady logo and give you my male opinion of that later 🙂

  17. Jenn

    You are right about that! He also never has an issue with visiting the Apple store. Maybe the shopping lady needs a hammer and a computer poking out of the shopping bag!

  18. Rosaline

    Luckily we have a book store because the only way to lure my husband into shopping is if he can while away the hour (or so!) with books.

    The hardware store is great too – remember the great one we used to have on Burlingame Avenue. I wish I could remember the name.

    I would love a store for the well rounded woman!

  19. Rich Grogan

    Bruce
    For those businesses you mentioned, why are they still on the Burlingame Avenue, if there wasn’t an advantage for them to be there? After all, rents are cheaper elsewhere and according to those businesses their business is word-of-mouth, so why stay on B’game Avenue?

    My daughter and I love the bookstore on Burlingame Ave. When we go to the “avenue” my daughter wants to stop by the bookstore and read, while mom is shopping. Fortunately we have been able to buy some really great books that my daughter has learned so much from. To be honest, I like the bookstore more than I like shopping.

    Some how or other, we need to make shops such as this a destination! Oh, by the way, it is more fun than a barrel of monkeys sitting in the children’s section and listening to other partents reading to or being read to by their children.

    I will say after a good book and mom’s shopping is concluded a “Preston’s” ice cream (on Broadway) sure taste really good!

  20. Bruce

    Rich,

    I don’t know their reasons so I can’t speak for them. Only issue I have is why can’t we respect them, being a free market society and let them have the freedom to decide, just like you & me as consumer?

  21. Rosaline

    Wish that applied to our taxes and all the monies we put into “services” we don’t want. I don’t believe my taxes should be used to send our young people to Iraq to “fight for our freedom” and would prefer my taxes go toward our students, our schools and our teachers. Don’t have that kind of “freedom” though.

    Its a big bad cruel world out there but I hadn’t realized how selfish people are. This is quite an epiphany.

  22. Bruce

    Rosaline,
    That’s why we have all kinds of politicians, interest groups, and lobbyists to represent ppls, but what about those merchants? Sam? The self appointed board members? Bottom line~ we’ll find out on next council meeting!

  23. Fiona

    What about the merchants, Bruce? According to the City Attorney today it seems that 420+ merchants have not protested.

    Give us a list of your “self-appointed board”. Who would you like to represent the merchants?

    No two-bit councilmember and/or blogger-who-doesn’t-have-the-balls-to-use-his own-name can destroy the reputation of the people you are so childish about.

    Please give some positive constructive solutions.

  24. Bruce

    Fiona,
    I don’t know who should represent, perhaps they should take a vote (IF majority want DBIB to work), but definitely not you or your “group“. BTW…using your real name doesn’t make you a better person. I meant YOU!

  25. Fiona

    Hiding behind a fake name does not show much character especially if you are throwing stones and trying to destroy someone’s reputation.

    I’ll tell you again, Brucie, I will not be able to vote but if I could I would work towards the DBID being a success – for once I agree with the mayor!

  26. fred

    Fiona, you often attack people’s reputations – sometimes it’s completely baseless. Anyone not in your corner seems fair game.

    And Fiona, even the Pope doesn’t use his real name. Can’t we have discussions without always going back to this same meaningless point

  27. joe baylock

    I was in downtown Reno this past weekend where they have some nice signage with a map of the downtown area. It included key City landmarks, natural elements like the Truckee River, all the street names in large fonts, and the “You are Here” marker on each one. There weren’t any commercial businesses, but it was quite helpful just the same since if you had a street address the map could help you find it.

  28. Rich Grogan

    Bruce, small problem with you Pope analogy, We know who, Pope Benedict XVI is. We know all about his past. He did not change is name to hide from people, he changed it, publicly, according to church doctrine.

    Personally I wonder why anyone would not take responsibiltiy for words or actions and want to hide behind a false name. I am sure you can see our view point, by hiding behind a false name it tends to deminish your credibility.

  29. Bruce

    Rich, you begin to sound like the rest, including fiona, rosaline. I never mentioned Pope, and I’m not Fred period. Get a life…go pick on da mayor.

  30. Fiona

    Joe – I love the idea of a map – perhaps one at the Library (?), also at the two main corners of Burlingame Avenue (?) and one on Broadway (?).

    Commercial businesses (come and go!) but the maps could contain the street names, library, train stations, schools, etc. Perhaps even the shuttle stops!

    I wish the Smoke Shop window could be a community notice board or contain a map but I have heard the rental for an ad in that window is way over the top.

  31. fred

    Y’know Rich, I blog elsewhere. I don’t give my name or e-mail and it is never a problem. At the San Mateo County Times blog more than half the entries are anonymous. This is the only blog I know where there is a constant diatribe about identity.

    I think it has become the easiest way for some people to ignore the real issues and opinions.

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