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19_V1_WAT_Apr20 THURSDAY, APRIL 20, 2017 • WATERLOO CHRONICLE • 19 BUSINESS WATERLOO CHRONICLEWATERLOO CHRONICLE By Bob Vrbanac Chronicle Sta� After learning the lessons of last year's King Street closure due to LRT construction, uptown businesses are offering each other a helping hand to deal with the construc- tion expected from the new streetscape project north of Erb Street. The streetscape project will transform the north end of King Street up to Elgin Street with reduced tra� c lanes, segregated bike lanes and wider sidewalks. It will also mean the replace- ment of some underground utilities and poten- tially digging up more of the corduroy road already discovered near King Street and Willis Way. But the biggest concern, as before, is the impact of construction on uptown businesses still recovering from the LRT disruptions of last year. � ere are promises from both the City of Waterloo and the contractor working on the project that King Street closures and construc- tion impacts will be less than last year. But uptown businesses aren't waiting to see if those promises will be kept, and instead have started a new marketing plan called Hand in Hand that will try to leverage a number of special events and shared opportunities to get more people and more tra� c back to the city core. The program is supported by marketing funds made available by the UpTown Waterloo Business Improvement Area. It grew out of the Hughes Lane initiative, which was started by businesses looking to let customers in through their back doors when their front doors were tied up in construction. One of the driving forces behind that was Mandy Brouse, co-owner of Words Worth Books, who was looking for ways for people to visit their favourite spots and limit the frustration caused by the construction. With the potential for construction disrup- tion again, she thought businesses should join forces and expose themselves to more potential customers. "It took me two years to see how the system works," said Brouse. "I realized we needed more of a marketing initiative and how to � t it into the BIA's marketing budget. "We wanted to give money and support back to the businesses that were doing their own events to bring people uptown." Brouse, who is chair of marketing at the BIA, came up with Hand in Hand and it initially had a budget of $1,800 to leverage those cross-pro- motional opportunities between businesses. But the idea proved to be so popular they quick- ly had to almost double the budget to $3,100 because of all the events businesses wanted to stage. � ere is a formal application process requir- ing a breakdown of budget and how many peo- ple the business hopes to bring in. There will also be a follow-up to see how it turned out and what best practices can be implemented going forward. "We want to gauge the individual successes of each business," said Brouse. "We're really excited about the potential. In total, there are 14 events kicking o� this weekend with an Earth Day event Saturday fea- turing an art exhibition at Torchlight Tattoo on Regina Street, while Just for You Fine Lingerie will host a cream tea and garden party on Sun- day. Next week Lillypad Health and Wellness are doing a cross-promotion with K-W Pilates and All My Nails Salon at 22 King St. S., April 29, called Head to Toe, hoping to tackle all and any health related concerns. "There are certain businesses in uptown Waterloo that love our community and work hard to build it, and this program goes right in hand with us helping each other," said Peter Davis, owner of All My Nails Salon. "I jumped at the opportunity." While they've never done anything like this before, Davis said it's a good opportunity to broaden their reach and expand their client base. "It gives us an opportunity to bring more peo- ple into our community and into uptown Water- loo and experience something they haven't before," said Davies. "Maybe they'll venture out and do other things. That's why I think it's an awesome program." Brouse said it allows businesses to take risks and stage events they wouldn't before, and is hoping the trek to uptown becomes a habit again for people turned o� by construction. "Any excitement that happens in uptown Waterloo for an event affects everyone," said Brouse. "It's helpful and really does benefit everyone. "You never know how far reaching this is, and based on the responses from the businesses we know they want this too." Working hand in hand Uptown businesses launch new marketing initiative to focus on events in the core Mandy Brouse, co-owner of Words Worth Books, is part of a new marketing campaign from the UpTown Waterloo BIA called Hand in Hand that is supporting special events and programs being put on by businesses to attract more people to the city core. BOB VRBANAC PHOTO Call Ted Anderson 519-623-3050 ext. 232 or email tanderson@cambridgetimes.ca GO "MULTI-MEDIA" with Metroland Starting aS low aS $299 • target geographically using IP addresses • target behaviourally using consumer habits • target "on-the-fly, but close-by" with our fully mobile programs for phones, tablets and other devices ADvErTIsE yOUr MEssAGE On-LInE! 20,000 to1.2 million views or more annually