Downtown Brighton 2023 Business Support

2023

City of Brighton Streetscape Renovation Business Support

Mission: Mission: Promote the DDA during Streetscape construction to ensure that customers know that Brighton is still open for business. Implement strategies to favor economic stability.

Marketing Strategy: • Refreshing our crayon box of marketing tools.

• Providing a framework that merchants can work independently or collaboratively to take advantage of these new tools.

• 20 Banners line Grand River with alternating messages

City of Brighton DDA worked with Two Six Digital to provide ongoing Social Media Training for retailers to elevate their digital presence and help their marketing investments go further.

How to Create Facebook Custom Audiences Digital Marketing Trends and Best Practices Claim your spaces on Google, TripAdvisor, and Yelp

An introduction to Google Analytics 4 Lead Generation Tactics

Best practices Establishing a for email Social Media marketing Voice

Hey there, fellow Michiganders! We all know what orange road barrels mean construction season is here. But fear not, because the 2023 Brighton Streetscape Project is about to give our Downtown a major upgrade! This exciting transformation will create a more beautiful and functional environment for all, with fresh new pavement, wider sidewalks, convenient bicycle parking, and improved pedestrian walkways. Safety and accessibility will be enhanced, and the addition of new LED streetlights, outdoor dining space, and vibrant greenery will make our Downtown even more welcoming. So let's embrace the construction and get excited for the future of our beloved Downtown Brighton!

Hey, Brighton residents and visitors! As the 2023 Brighton Streetscape Project gets underway, let's not forget to support our local businesses and merchants in Downtown. This exciting transformation will undoubtedly bring new energy and excitement to our city, and it's up to us to keep that momentum going. Whether you're grabbing a bite to eat, shopping for unique finds, or simply enjoying the vibrant atmosphere, let's show our love for the small businesses that make our city great. Together, we can ensure that Brighton's Downtown continues to thrive and flourish for years to come!

City of Brighton DDA worked with Espresso PR to create drive-time messaging for traffic sponsorship on Livingston County’s WHMI.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

Hey, Brighton residents! We know that seeing orange road barrels usually means more construction, but this time, it's all about making our Downtown Brighton even better! The 2023 Brighton Streetscape Project is underway, aimed at creating a more beautiful and functional environment for all. With wider sidewalks, convenient bicycle parking, and improved pedestrian walkways, safety and accessibility will be enhanced. And, with new LED streetlights, vibrant greenery, and increased outdoor dining space, our Downtown will be transformed into a more welcoming place. So, don't be deterred by the orange barrels - it's all for a great cause!

The City of Brighton is about to get a makeover! The 2023 Brighton Streetscape Project is taking our beloved Downtown to the next level, aimed at creating a more beautiful and functional environment for all. With fresh new pavement, wider sidewalks, convenient bicycle parking, and improved pedestrian walkways, this project promises to enhance safety and accessibility while making our streets more enjoyable for everyone. From new LED streetlights to increased outdoor dining space and vibrant greenery, the Streetscape Project is set to transform our Downtown into a more welcoming place.

Hey there, Brighton locals and visitors!

Get excited for a major upgrade in our Downtown area! The 2023 Brighton Streetscape Project is bringing a fresh new look to our city, making it more beautiful and functional for all. With wider sidewalks, convenient bicycle parking, and improved pedestrian walkways, safety and accessibility will be enhanced for everyone. Plus, with new LED streetlights, vibrant greenery, and increased outdoor dining space, the Streetscape Project is sure to create a more welcoming atmosphere.

• City of Brighton DDA has coordinated with Espresso PR and Wayne Media Group to produce PSAs to be used on Explore Brighton Howell Area website, social media and more.

• The PSAs cover Streetscape, Parking, Events, Social District, Dining and the History of Brighton.

City of Brighton DDA secured funding and support from the Explore Brighton Howell Area CVB and is working to have placement of the directories on their website as well as placed in local hotels and tourist areas around the county.

City of Brighton DDA worked with Abovo Visual Communications to create a world-class directory to support impacted businesses.

The guide highlights the City of Brighton Social District.

The guide features an historical walking tour that City of Brighton DDA coordinated with the Brighton Area Historical Society. It is embedded now indefinitely on Google Earth for educational discussions and community posterity.

QR Codes are utilized to enable the community to get additional information as needed on their cell phones for Streetscape updates, walking tours and even social district information.

The guide includes the upcoming civic events for 2023 in an easy-to-read list.

Merchants can use the guide to distribute to their customers and can insert the buck slips into the directory so that it can include local last-minute events.

City Communications notification system upgrade:

• City of Brighton DDA was able to secure an in-kind insertion with the support of George Moses of The Marketeer so the new directory can reach 50,000 homes. It will have a tear-out feature to encourage people to hang onto their directory. The Marketeer has been supporting Downtown Brighton for over 40 years, and wanted to provide its support as the businesses endure construction.

c. Parking Lot Signage The wall application holds up well to weather, wind and sun.

All except the Ciao Amici wall are owned by the city.

Running Lab has also offered up the storefront window of their store to display the signage, and offered to do it at their cost so that we had signage on Main Street directly, as well.

Barricade

City of Brighton DDA has identified potential wall locations near parking areas to post large-scale graphics to greet pedestrians and guests and inform them of the Streetscape project highlights and timeline throughout the community. This has been funded by the Explore Brighton Howell Area CVB and Bank of Ann Arbor.

City of Brighton DDA negotiated an opportunity for the City of Brighton DDA to provide shuttle service to downtown businesses.

Parking has been a hot touchpoint for local businesses and by alleviating even 100 spaces, we could free up 25% of our downtown parking. It’s a win for the customers and a win for the businesses who need happy customers.

Project launched May 12, and will be tested for three weeks before deciding to extend.

Downtown Brighton PSAs

Educate the community about various concerns about the project and keep people engaged about its history and its future.

Promote the dining and social district.

City of Brighton Groundbreaking Digging for Gold Event • City of Brighton DDA worked with Espresso PR and the downtown merchants to host a Media Groundbreaking.

• Digging for Gold – Merchant Tie In provided over $7,000 worth of prizes to give away • Merchants get a chance of capturing a market that is not typically on their radar and can take advantage of the extended reach. Nearly 300 people attended the event.

• Media coverage included MLive, Livingston Daily, and WHMI • The Greater Brighton Area Chamber, City of Brighton DDA and City of Brighton Employees all pitched in to ensure an enjoyable experience for our guests!

Shopping Spree Wardrobe Makeover – April 15, 2023

• Cassandra Jorae posted on social media that she had lost weight and her husband thought it was time for a new wardrobe.

• Denise (City of Brighton DDA) invited her out to Brighton where she would get personal service and feel like you’ve made a new friend, and never feel overwhelmed like malls can do. She accepted and drove 1.5 hours to Brighton, and we shopped for over five hours!

• The experience was documented and shared on social media, and we hope to do more of these shopping sprees soon.

• Who’s next?

Launch traffic drivers to downtown •

Find new reasons for people to trek downtown near the end of the first phase.

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Showcase what great restaurants Brighton has.

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Increase foot traffic to help the other retailers.

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Publication Statistics

Brighton Area Historical Society 2023 Walking tour / Playing Cards

Funded by Explore Brighton Howell Area CVB, El Arbol, Griffith Realty, The City of Brighton Historical Society, and The State Bank Playing Cards will be distributed throughout the downtown businesses to be collected by visitors and students.

Brighton Area Historical Society 2023 Walking tour / Weekly Facebook Posts Every Sunday morning, the images and text from the Walking Tour have been posted to the Downtown Brighton Facebook Page.

The popularity caught us all off guard. To date, they have generated our greatest response rates and shares!

RECAP August 25-26, we have had the opportunity of celebrating the first phase of the construction project re-opening with a Street Warming Party on Friday and Saturday. The program included coupling retail sales and in-store activations with a host of street events and activities, to include 13 live performances through the AMP and four make-shift stages throughout downtown; a 1200 carnation give-away thanking people for coming, face painting, a stilt walker and a hula hoop performer.

FEEDBACK: • El Arbol stated that it was his best day since Cinco de Saturday and sales were up 30%. “It certainly was a win for us!”

• Sunny’s on the Corner stated that “Saturday was the best day we had all year! Friday was good too.”

• Oh My Lolli reported Friday a slight increase. Saturday was great. Today (Sunday) average.

Great to see people out and about! Hopefully it will have a positive impact going forward.”

• Wallflower Mercantile reported, “good uptick Friday and Saturday was great. Today (Sunday) was a return to what a typical Sunday is. Overall, better Thursday-Sunday than the July sales weekend.”

• Coral Sash sped up their grand opening to coincide with the Street Warming event and saw success with 73 sales on the first day. They had to finally close their doors at 9:15 PM at night as people continued to stroll in.

• Cooper & Binkley Jewelers stated, “Overall, Saturday was a great, fun day!”

Photos and videos from Wayne Media are being edited for promotion and news media.

This one-minute reel highlighting the weekend’s festivities has received over 1800 organic views.

The Coral Sash one-minute reel has also received 1700 organic views, which will help to promote that Downtown Brighton is exciting and open for business.

Objective: Open Main Street Phase 2 Welcome everyone back and make sure they know West Main Street is open so people will return to downtown to frequent our retailers and restaurants.

Event by Downtown Brighton, Michigan and Denise Murray Downtown Brighton, Michigan Public · Anyone on or off Facebook Music, trick-or-treating, apple pickin' for prizes, apple bowling, and a little brew and view in store for the Full Hunters Moon! Family fun all around!

Brought to you by the City of Brighton DDA and your downtown merchants!

BANDS AT THE AMP Saline Fiddlers Philharmonic 1:00 PM-1:45 PM; 30 min break; 2:15 PM-3 PM America’s premier youth fiddling show band from Saline, Michigan, astounds audiences every time the group takes the stage. The musicians, all from Saline High School, present an energetic and polished show that features a diverse range of music from American folk, fiddle, bluegrass, jazz, western swing, and Celtic traditions. Spirited vocals and Appalachian step dancing combine with the instrumentals to create an unforgettable live performance.

Vinyl Rockit 4:30 PM-6:00 PM Lights, Sound, Dancing!

This Detroit-area cover band moves and grooves the crowd with a three-hour, handpicked setlist geared towards keeping the dance floor full and energized.

A dynamic, choreographed light show with professional sound, serve as the backdrop for this in-demand group that performs hits from bands like Prince, Tom Petty, Blondie, Billy Squier, Journey, the Cars, Foreigner, INXS, Donna Summer, Wild Cherry, the Fixx and many more.

This is a 7-piece, professionally run production with 5 on stage and 2 off, ensuring your guests have a dancing good time! Lights, Sound, Dancing!

STREET SOLOISTS 1 PM-2 PM – Casa Tequila - Jason Locke 2 PM - 3 PM – Bourbon’s - Kari Holmes 3 PM-4 PM – Captain's ön Main - Johny Rhoades For updates on activities, see the Discussion tab or the interactive map https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit...

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Holiday Lights / Holiday Glow

Holiday Glow Event by the Greater Brighton Area Chamber and light sponsorships by Denise Murray.

Downtown Brighton, Michigan

Objective: Open Main Street Phase 3 Put the icing on the cake for the Streetscape Project coming to an end with dazzling new light displays. $21,395 was raised to put on a light display that was larger than ever in Brighton to welcome people back downtown.

Ensuring Positive Press Highlighting the positives for 2023 is essential to drown out the negativity for the Streetscape project. With 11 new businesses, three expansions and more on the way, there is a lot to highlight!

Ongoing Tours Any opportunity to invite a new group or organization downtown is a wonderful way to expand our reach.

Women in Planning, Brighton Howell Area Tourist Ambassadors/Historical Society, Media (CBS/Press & Argus)

Telling the Story

Created a digital magazine to showcase 12 new merchants and expansions of three more…

How to get marketing for FREE* *If you raise more money than you are paid, it could seem like it is free.

Added value, merchant support, donations and more. Thank you to everyone that stepped up to help bring all our Streetscape Merchant Support projects together: 2 Dandelions Bookshop, Bank of Ann Arbor, Bordine’s, Bourbon’s, Brewery Becker, Brighton Bar and Grill, Brighton Ford, Bryce and Lee Ann Kelley, Bush’s, Champion Automotive, Ciao Amici’s, Cooper & Binkley Jewelers, Corrigan Oil, Dawn Angelic Photography, El Arbol Taco, Explore Brighton Howell Area, Flagstar Bank, Foguth Financial Group, Giffels Webster, Greater Brighton Area Chamber of Commerce, Griffith Realty, Independent Bank, Ivory Vines, Kat McButterfly (CoBACH), Kate Lawrence, Kensington Valley Varsity, Lake Trust Credit Union, LOC Credit Union, London Beauty, Lotz Real Estate, Marketeer, Martin & Shari Smith, Natural View Market, Ore Creek Jewelers, Patricia & James Bohn, Rosy’s Boutique, Running Lab, Schafer Construction, Sunny's on the Corner, Teresa Panczyk, The Buckley Jolley Real Estate Team, The Pound Bar & Grill, The State Bank, The White Dress, Tribute Salon & Medspa, Two Six Digital, W G Dixon, Wallflower Mercantile, WHMI, Wood 'N Things & THE SHED

Plus countess volunteers, and more.

Total donations and value $77,806.18