The Downtown Business Association and Main Street El Dorado are launching a soft opening for a new event that is designed to increase foot traffic for downtown businesses.
Today, downtown merchants will remain open until 7 p.m., marking the start of an event that will be held monthly.
First Thursday is part of a longterm effort to prepare for the future growth of the Murphy Arts District and an increase of visitors who come to town for festivals and other large events.
The idea for downtown merchants to remain open later has been bandied about for years and it picked up steam nearly a decade ago when destination developer Roger Brooks was invited to town and held a series of public meetings focusing in tourism, marketing, branding and economic development for El Dorado.
Brooks and his team from the Seattle-based Destination Development, Inc., were hired to conduct a study of El Dorado and develop an “action plan.”
The result was “The Festival City” brand idea, which gave birth to MAD.
During his presentations, Brooks shared that statistics show that most consumer spending is done after 6 p.m.
He said El Dorado businesses had a “mishmash of operating hours” and suggested implementing the 10-10-10 rule, in which downtowns should have at least 10 restaurants, 10 retail shops and 10 service-based businesses that remain open after 6 p.m. within three lineal blocks.
On average, many businesses in the city’s historic downtown close at 6 p.m. for the day.
The DBA and MSE are asking for the community’s support for First Thursday, which will include sidewalk sales, giveaways, drinks and snacks, music and more.
The day was selected to coincide with Thursday Night Live, a live music entertainment event that is offered by MAD in the Griffin Restaurant.
The featured performer tonight is James Casey. The event will start at 8 p.m. and include a $10 cover charge.
Beth Brumley, executive director of MSE, said the DBA hopes people will head downtown after work to eat and shop and then head to TNL.
“We are so excited that the downtown merchants have decided to stay open late the first Thursday of each month,” Brumley said.
“If they have good turnout, they have discussed staying open until 8 (p.m.) in the future,” she said.
For more information, call the MSE office at 870-862-4747.
Tia Lyons may be contacted at 870-862-6611 or by email at tlyons@ eldoradonews.com.