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closeYou can’t tell a building by its cover; you have to consider more
Dave Eatwell / for the Puyallup Main Street Association
The business of downtown revitalization has its own jargon, lore and legends, and the Puyallup Main Street Association is no different from hundreds of other Main Street efforts. There are also a number of rules we have appropriated from other industries.
From the construction industry, we get the “90-90” rule of project scheduling,” which says that the first 90 percent of the project takes the first 90 percent of the time and the last 10 percent of the project takes the second 90 percent of the time. Revitalization is a process that is highly incremental. It takes time, and waiting for results can be frustrating. On the other hand, we occasionally have brief periods of rapid success, such as what Puyallup is experiencing right now. A half-dozen new businesses are opening and vacant storefronts are disappearing rapidly.
Miller’s Law (“You can’t tell how deep a puddle is until you really step in it”) is the major reason that the 90-90 rule applies. One does not know what will be found when the veneer is peeled back. So the process calls for a healthy portion of commitment and trust in the process and those involved.
Small business owners and operators found in a historic downtown tend to be independent types. Often the process is like herding cats. Terman’s Law of Innovation explains why we support this: “If you want your track team to win the high jump, get one person who can jump seven feet, not seven people who can each jump one foot.” Diversity in a community and business district is a very good thing, as it expands the range of talents, expertise, contacts and resources that can be called to support the group effort.
Downtown Puyallup’s business mix is expanding, thanks to individual entrepreneurs who have invested in their community and shouldered the risk of buying or leasing a building, buying inventory and throwing open the doors in hopes that the surrounding community will respond as customers. A few of these businesses ply such narrow niches that they are actually rare, such as the Enchanted Harp, the only harp store on the West Coast, or Chicks Golf, Too!, a golf store to serve the specific needs of women.
Other downtown businesses are special, not because they are rare, but that they are less likely to be found in the city’s historic center. DeCaterina’s, Giggling Greek, Casa Mia, Lucky’s Hotdog Diner and other eateries are locally owned and distinct. They will soon be joined by Mazatlan. Puyallup has also been recently blessed by the addition of a family-owned and operated hardware store.
These and many other rules of thumb and measures of success indicate that downtown Puyallup is on the right road. Progress may be slower than we want, but it is sure. New businesses are getting involved every week. Over the next few months, we will see the first work begin on our Façade Improvement Program and efforts to light the trees in downtown. Watch closely.