Winter 2010
Downtown Image Marketing Campaign:
The Business Improvement District continues to develop ways to promote Downtown San Rafael and give your business greater visiblity. Not only do we focus our efforts on maintaining a vibrant local economy (see below), we also strive to strengthen Downtown as a regional hub of shopping, entertainment and cultural activity. The latest regional Downtown image marketing campaign included 4 unique ads that ran on 10 Golden Gate Transit Busses for 4 weeks beginning mid-November. Thank you to Ken Martin, from Mike's Bikes for loaning out his creative director, Davin Pukulis, whom designed the ads. The bus ads could be seen all over the North Bay including routes up to Santa Rosa and into Contra Costa County as well as right here in our own back yard.
to see the remaining ads, please (click here)
WAY TO GO-Downtown San Rafael:
The Business Improvement District has partnered with WALK/BIKE MARIN & Way to Go! as part of our SHOP SAN RAFAEL focus. This summer, San Rafael will be home to Way to Go! a program about walking, bicycling, and transit in Marin County. Way to Go! offers great resources and fun activities to encourage residents to get out, stretch their legs, and explore all the great things that San Rafael has to offer.
Local residents will be invited to be part of WAY TO GO! Participants will be invited to order a free customized information packet with resources for walking, bicycling, and transit. They will design their own GO KIT, including maps, brochures, and incentives – including a central San Rafael COUPON BOOK featuring discounts at local businesses for those who walk, bike, or take transit to get there.
To learn more about the program, please visit walkbikemarin.org
To learn more about contributing a coupon in the GO KIT please contact Joanne Webster at 415-720-5591
Shop San Rafael Campaign:
This past holiday season, the BID collaborated with The San Rafael Chamber and the City of San Rafael in a SHOP SAN RAFAEL campaign aimed at educating local residents on how shopping in the City directly impacts funds available to provide public services. The BID continues to GROW this campaign by stressing the importance of shopping locally to help keep local businesses in business, to encourage residents to get off the internet and onto Fourth Street and to support their community and neighborhoods. Because we know that their best bargain CAN be found right here in Downtown.
As a result of the SHOP SAN RAFAEL campaign, we have made available a FACEBOOK page to those business owners not quite ready to venture into Social Media Marketing all on your own. (Thank you to West End member Etopolos Design for the creative energy)
During this current economic downturn, it is crucial that businesses innovate so I encourage you to become a friend of the SHOP SAN RAFAEL FACEBOOK page and encourage your customers to become friends too.
Use the FACEBOOK to offer specials and announce seasonal programs. Include photos and give-aways. Update your fans about exclusive promotions and events happening at your business. This may be information that they can't get anywhere else. Your messages need to be creative and engaging. As any savvy business owner, already communicating with hundreds of facebook fans, will tell you....these creative promotions will drive traffic and sales.
Art Helping the Homeless: 
Twenty-five exquisite “art houses” created by local artists will be prominently displayed beginning March 1st in many cities throughout Marin County including 5 "homes" right here in Downtown San Rafael. Locations in Downtown include The City Plaza, the Library, Falkirk Cultural Center, the B Street Community Center and Albert Park. Ritter Center commemorates its 30th Anniversary by launching Art Houses of Marin a fundraising project that will raise both funds and awareness of the dire issue of homelessness in Marin. You can visit the houses until they are auctioned at the Art Houses Gala held at “Villa de Santa” on May 1. For tickets to the gala and location of houses (click here)
Classic Car Parade and Rockin' Street Dance -Downtown San Rafael
is coming Saturday, May 8th
We are featuring a REVAMPED show this year with new spirit and NEW HOURS: 12-6pm PARADE 5PM
Merchants are encouraged to show some of that Downtown spirit. You can decorate your windows or hold a “back to the 50’s sale”. Retro is very in!
Restaurants feel free to pull some tables and chairs out on the sidewalks for the day. Put up balloons. Draw attention to your business. The newest emerging food trend is "nostaglic foods". Have a special including old time favorites- Just like Mom used to make.
It’s a fun day Downtown that people from all over the Bay area look forward to every year.
If your business will be hosting a special event, sale or live band, please notify the BID office by May 1st at 415-720-5591 and we'll be happy to include you in the official May Madness schedule of events.
Opening Near You Soon:
Marin Arts Council- 906 Fourth Street
Marin History Museum, Music Center- 850 Fourth Street
Pizza Orgasmica-812 Fourth Street
Arizmendi Bakery- 1002 Court Street
Salon B- 877 Fourth Street
The BID meets:
The first Friday of every month from 8:45-10:00am in the Community Development Center Conference Room on the third floor of City Hall located at 1400 Fifth Avenue.
ALL are WELCOME and ENCOURAGED to attend.