Business Owners Want Residents to 'Meet Me on Park'

The businesses in West Hartford's Park Road area want to encourage one-stop-shopping – but not at just one of the many family-owned businesses that line the main thoroughfare.

'Meet Me on Park' – the Park Road area's new initiative – wants to encourage all of those small businesses to work together, bring more customers to the neighborhood, and encourage them to stay for a while.

In the past few months, the group has launched a Facebook page and a website, and describes itself as "a collaborative effort of the Park Road merchants."

"We're showing you how we strut our stuff. We're a little bit different. Park Road naturally blends cultures, tastes and lifestyles, and Park Road has been home to some of West Hartford's best kept secrets. Now, we'll let you in on it too. We'll share!" reads the description on the website.

"We want to create awareness of the diversity of this area, and that's what makes it special," said Dave Austin, owner of Fresh Ink and one of the leaders of the initiative.

"We've never had a strong marketing push," said Austin. Many of the area's business owners don't speak English well, or really at all, he said, and would benefit from cross-marketing with their neighbors, all helping each other out.

Although the Park Road area has had a strong neighborhood association for several years, which has made great strides enhancing the safety and appearance of the area, this is a separate initiative, Austin said. In addition, he added that the recent death of Richard Patrissi, the unofficial "Mayor of Park Road," has left a big hole in that group as well.

There are approximately 110 businesses in the Park Road area, and Austin is hoping that an exchange of ideas will help bring awareness to the area and encourage new ideas and enhanced collaboration.

Ideas already include outdoor market events, referrals/discounts, activities for children, and a "Taste of Park Road." 

The website is already packed with a business directory and other valuable information, and features a variety of merchant on a regular basis. Since its mid-December launch the Facebook page already has 505 "Likes."

Austin is hopeful that encouraging involvement of the entire business community will have a significant impact. "If every owner does just one thing ..." Austin said.