Businesses up and down Columbus Avenue say the Sunday car-free open streets has been a boon — despite what car drivers believe.
The program, which closes the avenue to cars between 68th and 77th streets every Sunday in the summer and fall, has increased local businesses' sales, a variety of businesses told Streetsblog, citing better foot traffic and the fact that locals tend to linger (and spend) more when a street is pleasant to be on.
Nonetheless, the open street remains under threat after a dozen city residents sued the city, claiming that shuttering a street to cars violates state and federal disability rights.
It's anything but a violation to Martin Johnson, manager of 67 Gourmet. Open Streets, he said, "has been an absolute game-changer for us.” Now Sundays are the artisan-cheese shop’s busiest day of the week — and it all started when the shop started an outdoor tasting table on open street days.
It was so successful, Johnson said, that they now do it seven days a week.
“Open streets encouraged us to expand our offerings and personality beyond our door and out on the sidewalk and street, where we’re able to persuade New Yorkers that they’re crucially uninformed if they don’t have smoked invierno or harbison on their mind,” he joked.
Johnson has no use for the prevailing argument of the anti-open streets crowd, whose members claim that shutting down a street to cars undermines business for retailers.
“This is New York,” Johnson said. “Most people arrive on foot.”
Igor Segota, general manager of Harvest Kitchen, agreed.
“Most of our customers come by foot,” he said, “so the more people that can walk here, the better it is for business.” And in this case, what's good for small business is good for the community as well.
“It’s great for everyone to get together, and for our neighbors and children to play outside and enjoy beautiful days,” he said.
Upper West Side business owners are merely confirming what is already known to residents of many other neighborhoods — such as the Lower East Side, Elmhurst, Sunnyside and Prospect Heights: When the street is clogged with cars, he said, people are simply stuck in traffic, unable to patronize any businesses, with their engines polluting the street.
Ali, owner of The Muffins Cafe, was initially skeptical about what open streets would do for business, but now admits it’s been “really good,” and noticed his customers are happier on those days.
Bibi Diaria, one of the baristas, said open streets brings an “influx of business” from people walking the streets, adding that Sundays now are “non-stop.”
Even non-hospitality businesses credit the open street with increased foot-traffic and brand-exposure.
“Open street days are the busiest days for our store,” Irene Kalogrias, manager of Celso de Lemos, told Streetsblog.
Although that doesn’t always translate to more sales, as most people just want to poke around, Kalogrias said it’s still great for brand-exposure, and helps business in the long-run.
Kalogrias also said she loves how the program “brings everyone together.”
J.Jill store manager Vinni Schroeder concurred, adding that it brings new customers to the area.
“It does bring people to the neighborhood that normally don’t come here, and introduces our store to a whole different clientele,” Schroeder said, adding that the program should be expanded to more days.
“Our customers don’t drive here,” she said.
Columbus Avenue Open Streets continues every Sunday, 11 a.m.- 7 p.m. through Oct. 27.
