The South Street Beat

SOUTH STREET BEAT

South Street Beat

Q&A with South Street Headhouse District Executive Director Mike Harris

QC: What are your plans for this spring?

MH: We are looking forward to an exciting and dynamic 2019 in South Street Headhouse District. Plans are underway for the traditional annual Easter Promenade (April 21) and the sixth annual South Street Spring Fest (May 4). We look forward to working in partnership with QVNA to promote and communicate better about all the great businesses, dining, and shopping that is right here in our neighborhood. We are planning to get construction underway on the Headhouse Plaza this spring, and indications are that work on the Giant Heirloom Market at 2nd and South will also begin in 1Q of 2019. There are other new business developments in process that we look forward to sharing as they materialize.

QC: What cultural offerings are people missing out on if they don’t check out South Street?

MH: There is a wide and growing range of excellent international dining options in the South Street community. On any given night, people have the choice of trying some of the best Mexican, Indian, Greek, Mid-Eastern, German, Thai, Chinese, Italian, Argentinian, or other cuisines that the city has to offer. Besides food, South

We look forward toworking in partnershipwith QVNA to promoteand communicate betterabout all the greatbusinesses, dining, andshopping that is right herein our neighborhood.

Street has a premier blues club (Twisted Tail), a music and comedy showcase (MilkBoy), and a legendary concert venue (TLA), among other venues. If you haven’t been to Tattooed Mom lately [the veganfriendly bar at 5th and South] you owe it to yourself to go take in this incredibly unique art space.

QC: Can residents get involved in any way to help?

MH: As both a QV resident and the SSHD executive director, I appreciate the community passion and concern for the future direction of South Street. We are both a top

tourist destination as well as a community commercial corridor, and we work with the reality of that balance. The best way residents can get involved to help us and the community is to shop local, explore stores you haven’t walked into, tell friends and neighbors about a great dinner or unique item that you found, and make the narrative more positive about South Street. There are challenges, yes, but a continuation of negative perceptions and avoidance will be self-fulfilling. A second way that residents can be involved this spring will be through providing feedback and insights as SSHD goes through its strategic planning process for the Keystone Community designation. We received a large amount of insight and comments from our perception surveys that were conducted last fall. In the coming weeks, we are going to further engage stakeholders in the community to help us as we focus on the transformational strategies to be undertaken to further improve the business district. ■

Interested in becoming engaged with South Street Headhouse District? You can participate through committee work, volunteering, or communicating directly. If you have questions, concerns, ideas, or talents you’d like to share, reach out to Executive Director Mike Harris by phone (215.413.3713) or via email at mikeharris@southstreet.com.

QUEEN VILLAGE QUARTERLY CRIER \\ SPRING 2019