Welcome back to my TED Talk about Business Improvement Service Districts (BISDs). If you didn’t catch my post from last week, let me give you a quick refresher. Old Town Business, the business association that has been stewarding the Old Town business community for over forty years is undergoing an effort to turn its volunteer organization into a full-fledged nonprofit with paid staff people who can continue the work. This week I promised to tell you why we need a BISD, what it will do, what the benefits are to Old Town, our community, and you, and how we get it done. Now this may just be a big ole civics lesson, but I’m grateful that you’re here and listening.

So, first, why do we need one?

There are many reasons, but the chief among them is to support our business community through good times and bad and to effectively compete in the marketplace known as the DMV. Last week I recounted all of the things that Old Town Business did for us during COVID. What happens if we have another crisis? Metro and government shutdowns are still a thing. Recessions could still happen. And I don’t even want to consider another pandemic. We need an organization that is fully equipped to shepherd us through another crisis. Downturns aren’t the only time we need a BISD. Even in good times, we need to continue to raise awareness of our community and keep us top of mind. McDonald’s doesn’t need to advertise, but they are one of the biggest advertisers in the world. They do it to stay top of mind and to remain the leader in the fast-food category. You can’t rest on your laurels. If you do, then you quickly fall behind.

Speaking of falling behind, let’s talk about competition.

There are eleven BISDs in DC and at least four in Arlington. I have no idea how many are in Fairfax County. All of these districts are pouring millions of dollars into improving and marketing themselves. If we do not do the same, we will fall behind because we cannot compete with them. Last year, the city council approved guidelines to guide any organization in Alexandria on how to start a BISD. Old Town Business was the first to raise its hand, but others will follow. That means increased competition within Alexandria. We need the BISD to keep pace, and hopefully ahead, of the pack.

To make Old Town a vibrant community the BISD will provide five core services:

1. Events are just that. Fun events of varying scale bring people to Old Town for a day, a weekend, or even more. Key to events is making sure the entirety of King Street and our side streets are activated. Upper King St and the side streets have been ignored and we want to change that. 

2. A website that has all things BISD on it. If you want to know what to do and what services are offered in the district then go to our website. It will be additional real estate on the internet for most and the only real estate for others. Dedicated social media and communications are also key benefits. Placemaking such as dances in the market square, carolers on street corners on Small Business Saturday, banners changed seasonally, etc. 

3. Ambassadors like you find in Georgetown or the Golden Triangle who are out on the streets cleaning up debris, directing visitors to find the best cup of coffee or their destination, and notifying the city through a direct line of any minor safety hazards or issues. No one is doing this currently. 

4. Business support services such as workforce development, shared contracts so things like parking and health insurance are more affordable for small businesses, and a business concierge program.

5. Advocacy is the last bucket of services. The BISD will serve as one voice for the business community on critical issues that affect Old Town’s small businesses.

Now, you might ask, “Doesn’t Visit Alexandria do that?” 

You aren’t the only one. That’s a common question we get so let me tell you how the two are different. Visit Alexandria is an amazing organization that markets all of Alexandria as a destination. We would just market Old Town. Of the businesses they market to visitors they only focus on their members. With the BISD everyone pays in, so everyone is included. Visit Alexandria’s target audience is within a 5-hour drive time or a plane flight away. Less than 9% of their total budget is spent on regional advertising and that money is deployed primarily during the holidays. That leaves the other 9 months out of the year where no one is trying to attract regional customers or talent to Alexandria. The BISD would fill that gap and market to the DMV. Visit Alexandria does not advocate for their members, nor does it provide Ambassadors or business support services. That’s three-fifths of the work that the BISD will do, so a really big difference.

What does it mean for me?

Finally – and thanks for staying with me for so long! – what will it mean for everyone? For our customers, it means more exciting reasons to come to Old Town to work or play. It means cleaner streets and a more inviting experience. And it means that your favorite businesses will be around for years to come. For us, it means the investments we make in our business start to pay off. We can increase salaries and benefits for our teams which means we can attract and keep good talent, we can take more home to our families, and give more to our communities. For the community as a whole, it means more commercial tax dollars are raised to pay for city services. If revenue is made through commercial sales then that’s less Alexandrians have to pay out of their pockets. It’s a win/win/win/win for everyone!

How do we make it happen?

To make the BISD happen we need 60 percent of the properties that will be taxed to sign a petition saying they think this is important. (Properties that are tax-exempt or are 100 percent residential are not taxed) There are 484 properties which means we need 290 signatures. Every signature counts so if you own your building in the district, then please sign the petition online. If you have a business in the district and want this to happen, then please ask (or plead with) your landlord to make it happen. And finally, if you know of someone who owns their building, then please tell them why you think this is important. Sometimes people will listen to their friends and family better than a stranger.

Ok, that’s it. If you have any questions, then please feel free to reach out to anyone on the Old Town Business team at info@oldtownbusiness.org. Or visit our website to see our webinar. Thanks for your time and attention and wish us luck!