This Topic: info on the 525 Whidbey Scenic Isle Way

[Jerry Hill]

Hi Leanne, So part of the point I'm making is that we also need that BV part of the town with a walkable mix of shops and restaurants with very little if any car traffic. Their should be pedestrian alleys and landscaped walkways that attrached us to stop talk with our neighbors and linger. By the way Leanne, you mention our NW weather as if the only suitable time to be out doors is in the summer. Maybe for someone who has resently moved here from California, but most of the NW people I know are active outdoor people year round. I always book ski trips in Mid January, because we traditionally have a block of warm dry weather with lots of sunshine that time of year. In fact that's my wife and my wedding anniversary, and I guaranteed her family we would have sunshine for the wedding. We have a week of sunny warm weather with temperatures in the 50's. People from Seattle take times like that to sneak away for a break to a close retreat, what could be closer than Whidbey Island by the sea.

Thanks for agreeing with me Leanne, Jerry

[leanne finlay]

Hey Jerry, we may see things from different angles, but I think we're having a good discussion. The more people understand what goes on inside small business' doors, I think the better.

From my The Beach Cabin experience, we could see that winter here is a 'car' time of year for most people - rarely did we have someone walk into the store -- they would drive across the street to our parking lot when it's raining outside (even in summer). And when people came in all wet from walking, which was very, very rare, they were in a hurry to get out of our store because they felt uncomfortable dripping on the floor (even when I told them not to worry 'bout it). Having your customers in a hurry to leave is a very bad thing!

Our store cash register was a computer, so I could track anything - and our daily stats on winter days were all lower than summer (a 3 year old could see that ), but on grizzly wet days, our volume dropped drastically. Add a wind storm to that weather, and we might not have more than 1 or 2 customers in a day. Those kinds of days are a financial loss for any small business, yet you also can't just close on a whim.

Our winter lunch rushes would vary by a 2 hour spread in the winter -- between 11:30 to 1:30, and predictible by how nasty it was outside. In any 2 hour period, there is always a 'window' of low or no rain, and that's when everyone would come in. On rainy days - we might only have 20% of the daily business that we had on just regular gray days -- having days where you only had 20% of your regular business is killer... especially in the winter months where you're not having enough volume even on the good days.

Awning overhangs, and covered walkways are all good, but we still will have regular streets in the BV areas, keep in mind that Main Street is really the only through street for vehicles.

[Ken Dickey]

[Jerry Hill]

Hi Ken & Leanne,

I agree that we need is a mix of both possibilities for Freeland. Some streets will handle most of the auto traffic, but all the streets or alleys don't need auto's. We need areas of town connected by pedestrian walk ways and good crosswalks that people can relax from the hurry of speeding around in cars and duck in for coffee or a selection of books, gifts, art, clothes, you name it.
What's been the movement at big malls these days, to provide a street village atmosphere of outdoor shopping. Look at Alderwood, and University Village is one of the highest dollar sales malls in the NW. That's all outdoors and connected to the Birk Gilman Trail. There's no reason Freeland can't have it all and with sewers we can even develop property towards Holmes Harbor with retail & park connections that can draw in people who want the water and view connection.
We have wonderful possibilities in our town and working together we can achieve them all together.