THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 7, 1995 TAG: 9505060320
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEPHANIE STOUGHTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines
With a hectic convention schedule and no wheels, visitor Martin Collamore will probably give his money to retailers along Waterside Drive and the well-swept, brick-lined streets nearby.
There will be goodies for his children, toys for his grandchildren and something special for his wife when the engineer returns to his Tacoma, Wash., home.
``My money's going out the window,'' said Collamore, laughing as he leaned against a wall outside the Norfolk Waterside Convention Center last week, holding a burning cigarette in one hand and a half-empty coffee cup in the other.
The paths of conventioneers like Collamore are vital to local retailers. Some businesses say out-of-towners attending conventions account for more than half of their sales.
``I've been amazed at the clientele coming in here,'' said Andre Johnson, owner of art-n-design, an African art store at The Waterside mall.
Convention-goers, who provide at least 25 percent of his revenues, are easily recognized because they're ``talking about the convention and wearing their little name tags,'' Johnson said.
Some downtown retailers find themselves directly affected by the events at the Norfolk Waterside Convention Center. Those who don't prepare for conventions might have scheduled one employee to tend a crowd of customers. Or, how about the restaurant that ran out of coffee?
Marilyn Helms, owner of the gift shop etceteras in Selden Arcade Specialty Shops, has attacked that problem by studying a printed copy of all the conventions. Armed with statistics, she also can target potential groups and tailor merchandise for them.
``I remember when we had the music jewelry out when the musicians had a convention, and when the lawyers came, we put the lawyer gifts outfront,'' Helms said.
Some retailers say they haven't seen as much convention activity this year. But Stephen Brinn, resident manager of the Waterside Marriott Hotel, said the number of convention visitors has been steadily rising over the last several years.
If downtown retailers are in a slump, Brinn said, it's not necessarily the convention center's fault. They may be feeling effects from two other sources: the economy and the types of conventions, he said.
For example, retailers said they noticed that the worst combinations for sales are male-dominated conventions on technical subjects. Also, if longer breaks are built into the conventions, visitors have more time to shop.
Even with more pedestrians downtown, not everyone gets the convention center's visitors.
Collamore, the public works engineer from Washington, might wander into Helms' store. But he's unlikely to stray far from his temporary home at Waterside Convention Center. Time and transportation are contributors.
But another reason?
He's leery of strolling into what was once the heart of downtown Norfolk: Granby Street.
It had its boom in the days of vaudeville and World War II. And then came the bust. The theaters shut down, and other businesses followed. Downtown Granby Street between Main Street and Brambleton Avenue is now home to a number of deteriorating buildings stamped with ``For Lease'' signs.
``Ever since the city created Waterside, Granby Street has been treated as a stepchild,'' said Raymarie Sarsfield, manager of the Trolley restaurant.
Sarsfield and other retailers acknowledge the reasons city officials might not want tourists to get too close to Granby. There are people sleeping on the pavement and the stain of abandoned buildings.
But Sarsfield envisions the area soon becoming as bright and beautiful as its Waterside sister. She says Tidewater Community College's Norfolk division, to be located on Granby Street, will boost pedestrian traffic.
Projects like the planned MacArthur Center mall also may increase the number of potential shoppers and diners. Realtors agree, though they caution it will take time before the trickle of investments in Granby Street leads to a flood.
``I think it's going to be much nicer,'' Sarsfield said. ``We hope it's going to help us.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/Staff
Raymarie Sarsfield, manager of The Trolley restaurant on Granby
Street, serves customers during a weekday lunch rush.
Photo
MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/Staff
Marilyn Helms, owner of the gift shop etceteras in Selden Arcade
Specialty Shops, uses convention statistics to target potential
groups and tailor merchandise for them.
by CNB