There is some good news and bad news for downtown businesses, a new survey by Downtown Village Development Corporation (DVDC) reported.
The non-profit group sought to find out the perceptions, attitudes, opinions and concerns citizens had about the city’s downtown core, Susan Thompson, managing director, DVDC, said in a press release.
Beginning in the spring and concluding in October of 2009, 817 people from across Greater Sudbury were surveyed about their shopping habits in the downtown core, as well as their views about housing availability and community events there.
The couple was really impressed with the culture of Sudbury. They were not expecting this.
Susan Thompson,
managing director, Downtown Village Development Corporation
More than 65 per cent of respondents affirmed the city has only one downtown and more than half — 51 per cent — would live downtown if adequate housing options were available, especially two-bedroom apartments.
The bad news is that more than 30 per cent of respondents said they rarely or never shop downtown. Nearly one-quarter of those indicated the lack of shopping variety for why they choose to shop elsewhere.
However, while New Sudbury attracts a greater number of shoppers who are seeking clothing, electronics, furniture or appliances, the downtown is still the destination of choice for those who want to dine out, see a show or band, or who need professional services, she said.
Thompson related a personal experience when she had out-of-town visitors come downtown recently to check out the various stores.
“These people were from Montreal and they were used to big city amenities — I would call them urban sophisticates,” she said. “But I was amazed to hear their positive comments as they walked around the downtown.”
Thompson said they walked into Simon’s Gallery Grill on Durham Street and the husband had a pastrami sandwich, which he said was the best he had ever had in Ontario. At Reg Wilkinson Men’s Wear down the street, she said “he was delighted to to find some wonderful men’s shirts on sale there.”
From there, they wandered to Elgin Street to the Artists on Elgin co-operative store, where the couple bought some pottery from artist Ernie Checkeris and then continued to the Laughing Buddha eatery.
“He had a dark beer he had never sampled before,” Thompson said. “The couple was really impressed with the culture of Sudbury. They were not expecting this.”
For more information or a copy of the report, e-mail info@downtownvillage.com.
