Riding bikes on sidewalks can be very dangerous. First of all, there is a greater chance of serious collisions with pedestrians as they move in and out of buildings, along sidewalks, and as they exit and enter curb-side parked vehicle. Secondly, the possibility serious collisions with motor vehicles also increases as sidewalk cyclists cross driveways and through intersections.  In fact research shows that sidewalk cycling is twice as dangerous as cycling on the street, and cycling against the traffic on the sidewalk is over four times as dangerous as cycling on the street.

Just don’t do it!

Sidewalks are for pedestrians.  Please ride responsibly.

Infractions can be reported to the City of Owen Sound By-Law Division at 519-376-1440.

The Owen Sound Downtown Improvement Area (OSDIA) facilitated this bulk purchase to minimize wholesale costs and to save our members money.

The OSDIA will not be selling these logoed bags directly to the public, but will make them available in multiples of 25, to our merchant members (“at our bulk cost”), with a suggested retail price of $4.99 each.

These heavy-duty nylon packable bags measure 15” x 16” and easily fold to a pocket size 3” x 4”.

A great branding tool for our downtown community, reusable Experience Downtown Owen Sound bags are great for merchant gifting and/or resale.

Contact Carolyn or Irwin at the OSDIA Office for more details (519-376-9225).

Quantities are limited and to avoid disappointment, we encourage you to call today.

All OSDIA member stores carrying these bags will be listed here at www.downtownowensound.ca.
As new merchants join the program, we will up date the listing.

You can also click on map image to download PDF copy right now.

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, Father’s Day, or back-to-schooltime, a good window display should include a theme. Moreover, you want to highlight your store’s image. Are you trendy? Cutting edge? High end? Do you offer great bargains? While you can’t judge a book by its cover, you can tell a lot about a store by its window displays. Many retailers overlook the potential of their display windows to grab the attention of potential customers. Think of them as three-dimensional billboards.

From a creative aspect, there is a lot that can be done to make your store windows dazzle. However, there are also practical concerns to address. Before you begin, first consider these ten tips:

1. Don’t overdo it. Less can be more, or at least more easily discernable to the eye. A cluttered window loses appeal and featured items can get lost.
2. Make merchandise the focal point. Not unlike a television commercial in which everyone remembers the commercial but forgets the product, you do not want your window dressing to overshadow your products.
3. Accentuate products with good lighting. Whether the window is recessed or under a spotlight, the goal is to highlight the products within the overall display. If the window design simply features your brand/image, rather than specific products, then balance the lighting throughout.
4. Stack products or use a pyramid. Place items in the window at varying heights and depths to catch shoppers’ attention and make the overall display inviting to the eye.
5. Have fun with mannequins. If you are using mannequins, create interesting poses, and make sure that each one is well lit and easily visible to customers passing by.
6. Be creative. Let your imagination run free – as long as you don’t lose sight of the objective – and draw customers into the store with innovative, attractive, and compelling displays.
7. Remember your theme. Keep your window theme in mind and decorate according to that theme.
8. Draw in drivers. If your potential customers drive rather than walk, make your display larger and use more color to draw the attention of a passing motorist.
9. Use backdrops. Backdrops are useful tools to create positive and forceful displays, and to separate the window from the store.
10. Stock up on featured products. Don’t draw customers in to buy merchandise that you don’t have enough of.

Professional Help vs. Do It Yourself

Yes, you can spend money to have someone come in and do your windows for you. There are highly skilled and professional windowdressers out there who can do amazing things. Of course, before you hire an outside person, be sure to see a portfolio of their work and ask for references. However, unless you own or manage a major department store with numerous windows, you should be able to handle the job yourself. If you have an exceptionally creative member on staff, you might consider making this person the de facto window designer.

Once you start working on the actual displays, go outside often to get an idea of how the display looks from the outside. Does it grab your attention? Is your theme clear? Keep tinkering until you have the look that you want, and remember to change your window displays often to keep them fresh.”

(from All Business Online)

• Decorating Sense
• Che Bello Desing
• Essortment
• How to Decorate Store-Front Windows

Do you have a good source of info to add to our list of helpful links?  If so, let us know at feedback@downtownowensound.ca.

Do you have outstanding customer experience stories from Downtown Owen Sound?  We’d love to hear them.  Please send your stories to feedback@downtownowensound.ca.

The program only takes 20-40 minutes and is packed with useful ideas aimed at enhancing customer experience and building loyalty.

Here is an excerpt to give you an idea of what to expect from this short program:

Create Moments of Magic^TM!

In 1986 Jan Carlzon, the former president of Scandinavian Airlines, wrote a book, Moments of Truth. In this book he describes the moment of truth as, “Anytime a customer comes into contact with any aspect of your business, however remote, they have an opportunity to form an impression.” These points of contact are the moments of truth in business, and they can make or break you and your company. Carlzon says these moments of truth can be good or bad, and our goal should be to take every moment of truth, even if it is a bad one, and make it great. Turn every moment of truth into a Moment of Magic^TM! Managing the moments of truth and creating moments of magic throughout the sales process, from the initial sales call to when the customer says yes, will help get you the sale. Creating moments of truth after the sale will help keep the customer your customer. Strive to make every moment of truth a Moment of Magic^TM.

The book takes an holistic view of the whole subject of Customer Experience and looks and what causes a good and bad Customer Experience. It reveals seven philosophies for building great customer experiences and provides some very practical ideas on how to improve the overall customer experience.

1. A source of long-term competitive advantage.
2. Created by consistently exceeding Customers physical and emotional expectations.
3. Differentiated by focussing on stimulating planned emotions.
4. Enabled through inspirational leadership, an empowering culture and empathetic people who are happy and fulfilled.
5. Designed “outside in” rather than “inside out”.
6. Revenue generating and can significantly reduce costs.
7. The embodiment of the brand.

OSDIA Members can also borrow this book from the OSDIA Office.  Contact Irwin at 519-376-9225 or irwin@downtownowensound.ca for more details.

In today’s social and economic environment, it has become increasingly important that we work together to keep small city/town downtowns vibrant and sustainable. Here in Owen Sound, we are lucky … we have a great Downtown with a tremendous variety of unique restaurants, cafes, shops, galleries, and boutiques. On top of this we have one of Ontario’s best local farmers’ markets, a terrific community theatre, and a complete range of personal, financial, professional, and wellness services. What’s not to love!

Downtown Owen Sound boasts more than 300 businesses and service providers, most of which are locally owned and operated. With over 40% of Owen Sound’s retail space located in the Downtown, the businesses and organizations that make up the Owen Sound Downtown Improvement Area collectively represent the largest local employment base and are a major economic driver for the Owen Sound community as a whole.

Supporting our Downtown economy keeps the money flowing locally. It is estimated that 60% of every dollar of profit earned by locally owned small independent businesses stays right in the community. This helps to keep the Downtown strong, with more employment, and greater social, economic,  and cultural opportunities.

Help keep Downtown Owen Sound thriving! This is your community, and you can help shape its future and ensure its long term success. Come visit, experience, and enjoy everything Downtown Owen Sound has to offer.

Shop, dine, browse, and be entertained in Downtown Owen Sound.