Good Will Abounds In Broadway District

Holiday Helping and Good Will abound in the Broadway District this holiday season. As times get tough for many, many Broadway District businesses are stepping up. They say the lights are bright on Broadway; it’s clear the hearts are too. Here’s a few ways the businesses are helping:

Win a Gift Basket. Bring a non-perishable food items to any participating Broadway District businesses and customers will be entered into a drawing for one of two gift baskets filled with products from the businesses. And the really cool part is that for each food items brought in, customers can enter the drawing. In other words, bring in three cans, enter the drawing three times! Participants include The Gift Itself (125 N. Broadway), Sassy Girl (107 N. Broadway), Besselli (201 N. Broadway), Monzú Bistro and Custom Cakes (154 N. Broadway), Kavarna (112 S. Broadway), Green Bay Net (126 S. Broadway), Red Awning (119 N. Broadway) and The Urban Frog (163 N. Broadway). Food goes to Paul’s Pantry.

The idea started with Michelle Zjala Winter at The Gift Itself. “I was listening to WPR the other morning and the food pantries are having a hard time keeping their shelves stocked, and I thought of how the Broadway businesses could help. It’s a perfect fit—shop local, dine local and help our local food bank!”

For more information on the gift basket, contact Michelle Zjala Winter or Allen Buch at 920-433-9171.

Also—
-Cup O Joy is collecting non perishable food items for the Salvation Army Pantry. 750lbs of food has been collected already! Collections are done every Friday and Saturday night during the shows until Christmas, hours are usually 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

For more information, contact Jan Oettinger at Cup O Joy, 232 S. Broadway, at 920-435-3269.

-Scanhome Furnishings is making it “stressless” to give this holiday season. Through December 31, 2008, consumers will receive $200 off the purchase price of a Stressless brand recliner from Ekornes, Inc. when they donate a minimum of $50 to Paul’s Pantry.

For more information, contact Mary or Lars Rydell at Scanhome, 142 N. Broadway, at 920-435-1961.

Check out VACANT Phantom Art Gallery!

VACANT art gallery opened November 21 in conjunction with the Lighting Ceremony On Broadway, in the vacant space next to KaVarna at 114 S. Broadway. Vacant is a phantom art gallery, a concept that places temporary art installations in vacant storefront windows for the public to view. The project gives local artists an opportunity to exhibit their work, while fostering economic development by drawing attention to available retail space.
Less than four weeks ago, local photographer Josh Kufahl contacted On Broadway, Inc. (OBI) with a simple request: To use open space as an open canvas. With help from Direct Development, OBI, n.e.w. ARTS, Jesse Mitchell, Ashley Bavery, local businesses and some other great friends and sponsors, the vacant building at 114 S. Broadway was transformed into a temporary gallery of contemporary art featuring local talent. Exhibiting artists include Daniel Klewer, Jesse Mitchell, Johanna Winters, Josh Kufahl, Don Krumpos, Ashley Megal, Janet Kallman, Shanna Casperson, and Dane Stewart-Disch.
There is no charge to visit the gallery; however, artists will be asking for donations to help cover the costs of installation work and renting the space. T-Shirts and buttons will be sold, and donation jars will be on the tables. Works by these artists are also for sale, and the gallery will carry a listing of information on how to contact each of the artists if interested in a purchase. A percentage of sales will also go to fund the gallery, and any future phantom art gallery installations in the area.

The gallery will be open for the next few weeks, or until the space is permanently filled. Regular hours are Tuesdays through Fridays 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays noon to 3:00 p.m. For more information, email vacantgallery@mail.com.

Don’t wait—catch these talented local artists while you can—who knows where and when a collection like this will pop up again!

November Birthdays

Stop in and say Happy Birthday to these November Businesses!

KaVarna-112 S. Broadway- 9 years
The Mother Bead-419 W. Dousman-10 years
Liberty Title/Czachor & Polack-107 N. Broadway-10 years

Broadway District Welcomes Shopko Express and the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce

The first downtown location for Shopko Express opened on November 1. This is the first downtown location for Shopko Express, a pharmacy and convenience store. “We believe in supporting communities, and hope to be the cornerstone of the Larsen Green Development,” said Michael MacDonald, Chairman and CEO of Shopko, who officiated at the Grand Opening celebration on November 8. The store will employ 25 full-time and part-time employees.

Also moving in to the building on the corner of Broadway and Walnut is the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce. They officially moved into their offices on the third floor on November 5, and held a time capsule burial in conjunction with the Shopko Express ribbon-cutting. The new building will provide the Chamber with more space than they had at their 400 S. Washington St. location, where they had been for 50 years. The chamber will occupy 8,500 sq ft of the 13,000 sq ft on the third floor, and is seeking a tenant for the remaining space. The second floor of the building is also available. The new space will also allow greater efficiency, and help the Chamber help the area grow its businesses. Twenty of the chamber’s 25 employees will be on Broadway; the other five are at the Advance business center at NWTC.

“Both Shopko Express and the Chamber of Commerce moving to this district really puts a stamp on how far we’ve come,” On Broadway’s Executive Director, Kelly Czypinski said.

Shopko Express hours are: (REGULAR) M-F 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Sat 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Sun 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (PHARMACY) M-F 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Sat 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sun 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

For more information about the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce, call 920-437-8704 or email info@titletown.org.

Broadway District Welcomes A.C.E Marine and the U.S. Coast Guard

The facility located at 201 S. Pearl street is expected to make medium response boats for the U.S. Coast Guard. Once production is underway, it could be as many as one new boat nearly every two weeks for the next five years, with a possible three-year extension on the contract. The boats are aluminum, which required a completely separate facility from the one in Marinette, to avoid steel contamination. A.C.E. stands for Aluminum Craft Excellence, and is a subset of Marinette Marine. The facility is expected to employ upward of 100 persons, not including the dozen or so U.S. Coast guard personnel that will also be on the site.

Broadway District Honors Escape Spa Gift Certificates

Yikes! Salon and Tranquility Spa in the Broadway District are now honoring gift cards and coupons from the former Escape Salon!

Escape Salon may have closed its doors, but two businesses in the Broadway District want its customers to know that their gift card and coupons are still good here!

Tranquility Spa,(300 S Broadway, www.TranquilitySpaSanctuary.com 920/438-8399), as a courtesy to all valued guests in the area, will honor 25% of the value of all Gift Cards that were valid through Escape Medical Spa and Salon. This offer will be good until January 31, 2009.

Yikes! Salon (159 N. Broadway, www.yikessalon.com, 920.490.9080), always has and will continue, as long as they are able, to honor the gift cards of their competitors who are unable to continue their business. They will honor 75% of the value.

Trinity Lutheran Church Welcomes Memorial Mobile

Trinity Lutheran Church held a dedication ceremony in conjunction with its 9:00 a.m. mass on Sunday, November 2 for the installation of Spirit Come Down, a memorial mobile commissioned by local artist Steven Haas. “The piece is meant to celebrate all people of God, and remember those who a passed,” said Pastor Michael Baucom. In addition to the ceremony, which landed on All Saints Day, a list of parishioners who have passed were read, and a dedication plaque was put up.

“I’m excited about how the piece will affect people,” said Pastor Baucom. “It changes the spatial dynamic, changes the space of the worshippers. It’s a piece they can reflect on as they reflect on their spiritual relationship with God.” The ten foot by six foot mobile was hung on Wednesday in the center of the worship space, and is designed to look somewhat like a flame or spirit coming down from the ceiling.

The mobile is a memorial gift from a number of current and passed parishioners. One of the donors was Susan Behnke, whose mother’s name is on the memorial plaque. “She passed last April,” said Behnke, “I am excited to see this piece go up today in her memory.”

People can visit the sculpture during weekday hours, which is 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday; but they are especially welcome during service on Sunday at 9:00 a.m., Pastor Baucom said.

Pastor Baucom got the idea for a memorial mobile a few years ago. “I was walking down Broadway and I passed this store called The Gift Itself. I thought how wonderful it would be to have an art piece for Pentecost. Through them was put in contact with Steve [Haas]. That’s when things slowed down. Like most churches, we had to discuss the idea for a while,” quipped Baucom. Then, about a year ago, Haas was finally able to bring a model to church, which became the basis for the piece hanging in the church today. "This is definitely something new for Trinity Lutheran Church."

Trinity Lutheran Church has been at 330 S. Broadway since 1867, with the latest worship space built in 1916. The Norwegian shipping ancestry of the congregation’s founders led them to build the ceiling of the church so that it replicated the interior hull of a ship. “One of the things I like about this congregation was its commitment to the downtown area,” said Pastor Baucom.

For more information about Trinity Lutheran Church or Spirit Come Down, call 920-437-8124.

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Green Bay Fire Fighters Tribute Dedication

The Green Bay Fire Fighters Tributes was dedicated on October 25, 2008. The monument, located on the bank of the Fox River in front of the Neville Public Museum, features traditional Firefighting symbolism on a granite monument, two granite benches, and brick pavers with the names of each person who has ever served as a Fire Fighter for the City of Green Bay. The Tribute is designed to honor all those who have given service to the City of Green Bay Fire Department, and especially those who have been wounded or lost their lives. 350 names are etched into the bricks, and each year, as people leave the department, names will be added. Names going as far back as the 1800's will also be researched and added to the bricks.

The Indoor Farmers Market Begins

The Broadway Farmers Market has officially ended, but starting November 1st, The Urban Frog will continue their popular Indoor Farmer's Market. The market includes two vendors this year, and is located inside The Urban Frog restaurant. The market continues with Keune Authentic Foods, and the addition this year of Suzie Q Fish Market. Keune Authentic Foods specializes in organic, locally grown veggies, meat and diary products. And for the first time ever Suzie Q Fish Market will be bringing their fresh fish to The Urban Frog straight from Two Rivers, WI.

Starting November 1st, hours for the Farmer's Market are Saturday 8:30 am to 1:00 pm throughout the winter. Terry Wojcik, owner of the Urban Frog, noted, "People think that when the Farmers Market ends, they have to wait until next spring to enjoy fresh, local, and organic foods. Now they can have it all year long." When asked, two customers at The Urban Frog noted that, "We'll all be able to make it through the winter now," another said she is "desperate for fresh food during the winter."

The Urban Frog Deli offers natural gourmet foods, coffees and teas for breakfast, and lunch. They were established in 2001 and are located 164 North Broadway, Green Bay, WI.

For more information contact Terry Wojcik at The Urban Frog Call: (920) 490-1170
Fax: (920) 490-1172 theurbanfrog@gmail.com, www.urbanfrogdeli.com

2009 Broadway BID Passes

The Broadway District Business Improvement District (BID) for 2009 passed City Council. Following is the Workplan and Budget for 2009. The assessment rate for 2009 is $1.14 per thousand. This rate increase is in accordance with the plan approved last year, which called for $0.15 increases each year over three years beginning in 2008, from the base rate of $0.84 per thousand. The 2008 rate was $0.99 per thousand. This generated approximately $5,000 of additional funds for 2008, which were put to good use through streetscape maintenance, district marketing, and district WiFi. For more information, visit http://www.onbroadway.org/announcements/item.php?id=163

Congrats Titletown!

Congratulations to Titletown Brewing Co. for winning the Silver Medal for their Railyard Ale! Read more at http://www.onbroadway.org/announcements/item.php?id=160

On Broadway, Inc. selected at top 10 finalist for Great American Main Street Awards

"Each and every application for the 2009 Great American Main Street Awards™ represents an outstanding local program. As mentioned previously, it has been an extraordinary challenge this year to choose the cream of the crop among such accomplished, innovative, and competitive applicants. For that reason, I am especially pleased to inform you that your application for On Broadway, Inc. was selected as one of ten Semifinalist. Congratulations!” These were the words from Peter Armato, Assistant Director for Research and Training, announcing that On Broadway, Inc. (OBI) is a top 10 semifinalist in this year’s Great American Main Street Awards (GAMSA)!

While OBI still has to pass the second-round application process, being selected as a top 10 finalist is a great accomplishment. “This award says a lot about the strength of this program and how far it has come in its short 13 year history,” OBI Director Kelly Czypinski points out. “We are competing with communities from around the country, many of whom have been around longer. It’s not just saying that On Broadway is a strong program, its saying that Green Bay is a strong community.” Semifinalists have until November 1 to complete the second step of the process.

GAMSA recognizes accredited Main Street Programs like OBI for exceptional accomplishments in revitalizing America's historic and older main street commercial districts. Winners are recognized as leaders and innovators in the Main Street Approach, and receive road signs and a plaque to identify their district as such. Stories of the winning programs will receive national attention, including profile in the Main Street News and in press from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Since 1995, 55 American communities have earned Great American Main Street Awards for their successful preservation-based downtown revivals. Past winners from Wisconsin include Sheboygan Falls (1995), Chippewa Falls (1996), and La Crosse (2002--although not an official Main Street Program). Once a program has won GAMSA, they cannot win again.

Started in October of 1995, OBI is celebrating its 13th year this month. OBI is a community-based nonprofit organization dedicated to the economic revitalization and historic preservation of Green Bay’s near downtown west side known as the Broadway District.