 Allen Pietrasanta gave a presentation at the latest Bringing Businesses to Bishop meeting on Thursday. His presentation was on a report done in 2000 about why business was down on Main Street nearly a decade ago – and the report is as relevant today as it was then, concluding that Bishop has plenty to offer, but the community has to work together to bring in the work and dollars. Photo by Mike Bodine By Mike Bodine
Register Staff
11-10-2009 The newly anointed Bringing Businesses to Bishop organization had its first, real meeting on Thursday. More than two dozen elected officials, business owners and concerned citizens assembled to talk about how to economically re-vitalize Bishop’s downtown, and hence the whole city and surrounding areas.
The BBB was formed earlier this year by Chuck Kilpatrick and City Council member David Stottlemyre, taking the lead from former City Council member Kathy Henderson’s Economic Task Force. The task force’s focus was on the county as a whole, while the BBB is focused on Bishop’s U.S. 395 corridor.
“It was a real eyebrow raiser to attend a City Council meeting where they (the city) had to cut 10 percent of the budget, across the board, even to the Chamber of Commerce that I consider the lifeblood of this town,” Kilpatrick explained to the crowd about why he decided to start the BBB.
He added that he was also disheartened by the Cottonwood Plaza debacle that forced businesses to relocate or shut down, creating job loss and lack of revenue for the city and businesses. All because some out-of-town lessees couldn’t decided what they wanted to do, and in the process, “held this town hostage,” Kilpatrick said.
“What can be done?” was the next obvious question, Kilpatrick said.
It is not a new question, as business owners had similar concerns in 2000. A steering committee was formed and it produced a report, About the Bishop Community, or ABC/2000. The report was created to “explore possible remedies for the apparent decline in retail activity on Main Street.”
The ABC/2000 outlines the factors that have led to that decline as well as the city’s assets and some recommendations.
The report was presented at the meeting by one of those business owners who helped develop it, Allen Pietrasanta.
There were many obvious problems with Bishop businesses, according to ABC/2000.
Bishop’s notorious for closing down at 5 p.m., the time most people are getting off work and wanting to buy something. The few stores that do stay open past 5 p.m. are the big retailers, such as Kmart and Vons that have led to the steady decline of Mom and Pop stores in the area.
The report cites more factors that have led to the decline of business, including a lack of parking, too many signs, empty buildings and lots full of weeds, shabby buildings in need of a coat of paint, and the “industrialization” of the south end of Bishop with welding and lumber yards – not necessarily a tourist attraction.
And, being a tourist town, Bishop lacks a distinct image, according to the report. A Western theme is not whole-heartedly supported, but there is not, and has not been, a consensus on what a theme should be.
But, with just as many faults, Bishop and the Owens Valley have more than as many assets.
The ABC/2000 lists more than 50 assets that Pietrasanta called “the meat” of the report. Some of these include the rich cultural history and unique artisans in the area, high volunteerism and low crime, pedestrian friendly streets, an all-weather airport, geological features and, of course, the view.
Pietrasanta said that opportunities abound in the area and proceeded to give examples of some innovative business to come along lately. These include Great Basin Bakery, the Lone Pine Film Festival, Mammoth Brewery, Sage to Summit and the Independence Fruitcake Festival. All of these ventures were started and continue to grow through utilizing what the area has to offer. For example, Sage to Summit caters to the marathon-runner types who love the local mountains, and Mammoth Brewery actually incorporates local sagebrush into some of its beers.
Pietrasanta said that Bishop has what other communities quest for: open space and a healthy environment.
“People want to come here to relax and do nothing,” he said. “How much of a capitol investment is needed for that?”
There was also mention that when talking to Los Angeles Department of Water and Power about trying to gain or buy more land for development, DWP’s response has been that the people don’t know what they want yet. Pietrasanta agreed and suggested a more tandem effort between advocacy groups, businesses and even Inyo and Mono counties to hash out what is really wanted so that offers can be struck.
Pietrasanta said after the two-hour meeting that he still had more information to share and hopes to have another opportunity to do just that.
He also suggested the wealth of information in the report – “worth $10,000 to $20,000 in consulting fees” – would be a good jumping off point for the BBB group.
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