Atlantic Avenue BID gets off the ground

As a small business owner, I am aware of the pitfalls that can come with not being properly promoted, with all that it takes to get noticed, and what location means. It seems that local business owners on Atlantic Avenue have noticed as well, and have also noticed what success other Business Improvement Districts have had around the city. From the Brooklyn Eagle:

"“The city likes BIDs because they’re established by legislation and their boards are established by legislation.”

Sponsored by the AABID Steering Committee, the Feb. 23 event attracted about 100 business and property owners and residents to the Belarusian Church in Boerum Hill.

The Steering Committee, comprised of all volunteers who are also business or property owners along the avenue, began working on the BID formation process in 2008, according to Ariana MacPherson, project manager, in her overview

MacPherson outlined the major benefits, including improved local control specific to the Atlantic Avenue community; marketing and promotion for the businesses; capital improvements and beautification projects; and services that would be supplemental to what the city provides, such as sidewalk sweeping."

It's not that shops on Atlantic Avenue aren't thriving, rather it's that the businesses want to have their voices heard and want to pool communal resources together for communal services to benefit all of them.