Happenings in the Heart of the Bull City
August 2021
|
|
|
- News
- Event Highlights
- Biz Tools: Traffic Report
- Welcomes and Goodbyes
|
|
- Ambassador Stories
- Clean & Safe Stats
- Meetings, Trainings & Forums
|
|
Announcing the New Downtown Merchant Map and Directory
We are excited to share our new map and directory of downtown Durham merchants! It features a complete map and merchant listing on one side, with a directory of merchants by category on the other. We'll update this printed map quarterly.
We've also created a smaller, printable version of the map without the directory. Both the large and small maps are available for download on the DDI website.
In the next few weeks, printed maps will be distributed to hotels, Discover Durham's visitor information center and other high-traffic locations. We will also have bundles of 25 copies to distribute to any downtown merchant who is interested.
To request a bundle, or if you have any other questions, contact Patrick Holt.
|
|
Meet Fasil Tesfaye, Our Latest Bull City Heart Beat
Our second Bull City Heart Beat video features Fasil Tesfaye of Goorsha and Gojo. What a compelling story! We'll have new videos throughout the year, and you can find them on our website and on the DDI YouTube channel or by scanning the QR code in the window of a participating business.
|
|
Bull City Heart Beats videos are free for business owners within the Business Improvement District. They're another way DDI markets our incredible downtown. Interested in being featured in a BCHB video? Want to nominate someone else? Enter business info here.
|
|
Take Our One-Minute Survey
and Enter to Win a $50 Gift Card!
Our mission is to ensure that downtown is vibrant, attractive and welcoming to everyone. We need your feedback to know what's working for you downtown and where improvements can be made.
So, starting with this edition, we're including a one-minute survey in each newsletter. It's just a quick check-in so we can hear from you on topics relevant to downtown.
This first survey asks a few questions about who you are and how you interact with downtown. This will help us understand a little bit more about the makeup of our downtown community of residents, businesses and property owners.
Please take just a moment to complete the survey. We promise it will take no more than a minute of your time. Plus, you'll be entered to win a $50 SpendaBull card!
|
|
DDI's COVID-19 Resources and Information
With cases of COVID-19 rising dramatically, it is once again vital for merchants, workers and residents to stay informed about the changing state of Durham's pandemic landscape.
DDI's COVID-19 Resources page hosts a wealth of relevant information and resources, including weekly case counts and averages, links to updates from official local, state and national sources, connections to business assistance programs and more.
DDI also maintains lists of downtown restaurants and retailers that are open and offering curbside, delivery, outdoor dining or gift cards. These pages are extremely popular with customers looking for places to dine or shop, so make sure the information about your businesses is accurate and up-to-date! Use the form on each page to submit current info,
|
|
Take the Small Business Recovery COVID-19 Survey
Small businesses (50 or fewer full-time employees) are invited to take this online survey to help the city learn how to better support Durham businesses recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Business owners, management and staff are all encouraged to participate. Survey closes August 16.
|
|
|
|
Share Your Thoughts About Durham Transit
More than $1 billion in local funds is designated for transit improvements over the next 20 years. About half of these funds will be used to continue operating bus service and to make improvements outlined in the previous transit plan. Durham needs your input on how to spend the remaining $500 million. Survey closes August 20.
|
|
Hiring? Post Your Positions on the DDI Jobs Board
|
|
Discover Durham Hospitality Job Fair August 31
After a successful job fair hosted in July, Discover Durham will be presenting another job fair in collaboration with the Durham Convention Center on Tuesday, August 31 at 2 p.m. Eligible employers include: hotels and lodging properties; food & beverage businesses (with priority given to independently-owned establishments); independently-owned retailers and boutiques; and visitor attractions (museums, cultural entities, venues, escape rooms, art galleries, arcades etc.). All employers must be based in Durham County.
Submit your interest in participating by completing this form. The deadline for submitting your interest to participate as an employer is Tuesday, August 17. Masks will be required for all participants, regardless of vaccination status.
|
|
To check out the great things happening downtown, visit the
The Event Calendar is the place for downtown venues, retailers, restaurants and residents
|
|
|
|
Back by popular demand! Heal Tree Cafe will be serving up CBD, delta 8 and kava infused mocktails and tonics from 9:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
|
|
|
|
Enjoy seafood, BBQ chicken, ribs, burgers and more at the Variety Edition of Taste of Soul NC. Live DJ to keep you grooving, kids' games, merchant and information vendors, tables complete with playing cards for spades, tunk and more. Bring the whole family as we’ll have something for everyone.
|
|
|
|
Join Not Just Paper for a Back to School Launch Event, where you'll find most everything you need to get your classroom ready for open house and the first day of school.
|
|
|
|
We’re spreading the love and moving The Streetery to locations throughout downtown on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month! On August 14 we’ll be at Five Points, and on August 28 we'll be at Golden Belt (both 12-9 p.m.) with added outdoor seating and live performers. Join us to shop, carry out, dine in or dine out.
|
|
|
|
Start your Third Friday off right! GoDurham and DDI have relaunched The Mix with music from
DJ Piddipat and food trucks at Durham Station
on August 20 and the third Friday of every month through October.
|
|
|
|
Visit galleries and other art venues downtown and beyond on August 20 and every third Friday of the month! Find a complete list of Third Friday events, and submit your own at thirdfridaydurham.org.
|
|
Retail - apparel
610 W. Main St. #101
Contact: Christa Speight
Bar
1007 W. Main St.
Contact: Brint Hayes
Restaurant - coffee, American, breakfast & brunch
359 Blackwell St.
Contact: Jason Cox
Tattoo parlor
339 W. Main St.
Contact: Jack Cody
|
|
Entertainment - virtual reality gaming
moved out of downtown
|
|
|
The Traffic Report lists events and happenings that may affect foot traffic and/or parking. It includes road closures and major events happening downtown.
Subscribe to the calendar or view the report online for the most up-to-date information.
|
|
Welcome Back! Ambassador Team Mid-Summer Update |
|
Erik Nystrom, Clean and Safe Operations Manager |
|
When I was a child, the start of August meant I still had more than one month of summer vacation left! Times have certainly changed, and when my children started school this first week of August, I didn’t have the heart to tell them that my first day was never before Labor Day.
“Shorter” summer notwithstanding, my wife, children and I were able to finally get away for several days to visit my native New England and spend time with Grandpa George. After being stuck home during the pandemic, and not going anywhere for over a year and a half, it was truly heartwarming for all of us to spend time up north with family and friends. We all felt refreshed, relaxed and a few pounds heavier from all the food we enjoyed!
Several members of the Ambassador Team were also able to take some much-deserved time away over the past few weeks, and they also returned refreshed, relaxed and flush with stories of their adventures; things were starting to feel normal once again. But as quickly as things felt normal, we realized that return is still somewhat tentative. We are once again actively practicing the three W’s – wearing a mask, washing our hands and watching our distance – and asking that you do the same.
|
|
The Ambassador Team and I are pleased and grateful that the level of downtown activity continues to increase. It is wonderful to see so many people enjoying all that our downtown has to offer, and the ambassadors have been keeping busy keeping it all clean and safe for all. We even set a record last month for the most trash bags changed from our streetscape trash cans at well over 8,000! |
|
|
With this spike in trash generated, we are asking for your help to ensure that all trash, including food waste, makes it into the trash cans. Any food scraps, including discarded fruit and other biodegradables that are left out, attract rodents and other unwanted pests that can spread disease and can be challenging to eliminate. A little extra attention to this will go a long way!
The Ambassador Team has also noted a slight uptick in graffiti after a few weeks of relative quiet. Most of this activity has been confined to areas near Durham Central Park, and we have been actively working to get new tags cleaned and removed as quickly as possible.
So even though many of us have been fully vaccinated and things have slowly been getting back to a new normal, we are not out of the woods yet with the new Delta variant. Please continue to practice the three W’s and be safe. Together, we can continue to put the worst of the pandemic behind us and focus on what is ahead. We are Durham Strong!
|
|
Downtown Durham's dedicated Ambassadors Team provides much needed clean and safe services. From sweeping and cleaning the streets, to providing directions for visitors, to jumpstarting car batteries, our ambassadors are here to help. Have questions? Just stop one and ask. Need to submit a service request? Call 919-682-BULL (2855) or submit a request online.
|
|
Clean and Safe Service
______________________________________________
Brickwork Laying (Square Feet)
______________________________________________
Trash Bags Collected
______________________________________________
Graffiti Removed - Paint
______________________________________________
Graffiti Removed - Stickers
______________________________________________
Customer Service (Directions, Battery Jumps, Etc.)
______________________________________________
Panhandlers/Outreach/Social Service Referral
______________________________________________
|
|
June 2021
______________
0
______________
8550
______________
135
______________
44
______________
14
______________
40
______________
|
|
|
MEETINGS, TRAININGS & FORUMS
|
|
|
Aug. 16; Sep. 7, 20
Aug. 19; Sep. 9, 23
|
|
Regular Meetings: 1st & 3rd Mondays at 7 p.m.
Work Sessions: Two Thursdays prior to Council meetings
at 1 p.m.
Meetings may be held virtually.
|
|
|
Aug. 23; Sep. 13, 27
Sep. 9
|
|
Regular Meetings: 2nd & 4th Mondays at 7 p.m.
Work Sessions: 1st Monday at 9 a.m.
Meetings may be held virtually.
|
|
|
Downtown Durham, Inc.
115 Market St. • #213
Durham, NC 27701
|
|
This newsletter serves the businesses, residents and property owners
We're grateful for their support of DDI and downtown Durham.
We also thank the City of Durham for entrusting DDI to provide the BID services
that keep downtown Durham a clean, safe and vibrant place.
Want to know if an address is within the BID?
SHOP LOCAL!
Support downtown businesses with the SpendaBull gift card.
Your feedback on this newsletter is welcome.
Did someone forward this newsletter to you?
For up-to-the-minute information on happenings in the heart of the Bull City:
FOLLOW US
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
