2013 BUSINESS WALK: Blossom Hill Road/Almaden Expressway
Suburban corridors: Business is getting better! Signage, public safety, homelessness, lighting and road issues top list of challenges A large stretch of two commercial corridors in San Jose’s City Council District 9 along Blossom Hill Road and the Almaden Expressway served as the location for the San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber’s recent teers was comprised of representatives from presenting sponsor business walk, held Nov. 21. Pacific Gas & Electric Company and The event was launched by District participating sponsors Bridge Bank, 9 San Jose City Councilmember San Jose Water Company, Santa Donald Rocha. Fifty volunteers then Clara Valley Transportation Authorvisited 120 businesses during the ity, San Jose Downtown Association, afternoon hours, bringing to a total Groundwerx, the City of San Jose and of 400 businesses that the SJSV SCORE among other chamber Chamber has surveyed over the past members. 12 months as part of its Regional The survey provides the opportunity Economic Development Initiative. to not only show that many local Fourteen teams canvassed small commercial centers and strip malls made up of retail and service businesses located near the Westfield Oakridge Mall. Previous business walks were held in Willow Glen/San Carlos corridor and in San Jose’s downtown arts and entertainment district. The group of chamber volunSan Jose Silicon Valley Chamber
nonprofit organizations that serve businesses are listening to the needs of San Jose's main street businesses, but to also connect businesses with resources that can help solve some of the identified issues and bring new resources to bear on others. Teams of three and four volunteers asked businesses three simple questions: • How is business? • What do you like about
doing business here? • What could be done to
improve business in the area? Business Activity Looking Up Volunteers were very happy to hear a majority of the commercial locations surveyed reported business activity was good and getting better in the last half of 2013. A quarter of those interviewed reported business as the same and just 13 percent said that their customer activity was on the decline. A solid 61 percent said conditions were getting better.