Tom Munds
Special flags will fly Dec. 27, marking sales at participating
stores in the Englewood Business Improvement District.
Ted Vasilas, the district’s president, said this will be the
first time since the city council approved the special design and
provided the OK that merchants will fly the brightly-colored flags.
From then on, the flags will fly the last Saturday of each month,
which is sale day in the district.
“It is another way to invite people to stop and shop in
Englewood,” he said.
The sale and the flags are among the latest Englewood Business
Improvement District’s continued efforts to spruce up the downtown
area.
Earlier this month, the district contracted to have planters
decorated with artworks and bike racks installed in front of a
number of district businesses. The organization also partnered with
the city to improve the holiday lighting in the business
district.
A Business Improvement District is a self-taxing, self-governed
program set up to finance projects above and beyond those provided
by governmental agencies. The Englewood Business Improvement
District includes all commercial properties on both sides of
Broadway from Yale to U.S. Highway 285.
Bob Lawson, owner of Acoustic Music Revival and a charter member
of the district, said he is pleased with what the organization has
accomplished.
“It is nice to see things taking shape that make our South
Broadway shopping area more attractive,” he said. “I think it’s
like rolling out the red carpet, welcoming people to
Englewood.”
Vasilas said the city has always had a lot of great businesses
and could be one of the metro areas best-kept shopping secrets. He
said the goal is to let more people know about the shopping
secret.
The district also issued a coupon book, providing discounts at
participating merchants. Vasilas said the effort recently began but
one restaurant reported about two dozen coupons have already been
used there.
Lawson was among the group of merchants who successfully
launched the grassroots effort creating the business district.
In the required election, property owners voted almost 2-1 to
create the district.
