York touting antiques, boutiques

A few years ago, vacant storefronts and crummy apartments lined the 200 and 300 blocks of West Market Street in York. Nowadays, that area is improving.

Antique shops, boutiques, restaurants and a coffee bar are establishing names for themselves. In fact, some businesses say they need more parking

Local merchants and officials with the city of York have joined forces to promote those blocks as an antiques and boutiques shopping district. More than 10 antique shops and home furnishing stores do business in the district, said Matt Jackson, an adviser to York Mayor John Brenner.

By operating near one another, such businesses would draw more customers than they could alone, Jackson said. The districts would become destination points, he said.

Debi Forster, a co-owner of Sparky & Clark's Roasting Co. & Coffee Bar, said her business has picked up because of the nearby antique shops and boutiques.

During the week, especially on Friday mornings, many stay-athome moms shop at Uncommon Threads, a fine yam and hand-knit gift store, Forster said. After the women buy yam, they tote it to Sparky & Clark's and knit for hours. On Saturdays, couples shop at nearby antique shops and boutiques. In the process, they end up happening upon her cafe, Forster said.

A couple of months ago, Sparky & Clark's began serving light lunches. In six months, the coffee maker plans to renovate the rear section of its building so it can cater larger events, she said.

The city hasn't studied whether an antiques and boutiques district will succeed, but Jackson said he is confident that it will. Similar districts have thrived in Shrewsbury in southern York County and on Howard Street in Baltimore, he said.

Recently, the city and the merchants took two steps toward achieving their goal.

Last week, York published 10,000 brochures that include information about the businesses in the district, including addresses, telephone numbers and hours of operation, Jackson said. The city plans to distribute the brochures at the York County Convention & Visitors Bureau, local businesses and a visitor's center just over the Mason-Dixon Line, off Interstate 83. Ten merchants each chipped in $100 to publish the brochures, he said.

On May 3, businesses in the district held an event called "The Sprucing of West Market Street." They and others planted flowers in 39 tree wells. Students from Bradley Academy for the Visual Arts renovated an empty storefront in hopes of generating interest from buyers. Locals picked up trash.

Such progress is a result of the YMCA of York and York County's recent rehabilitation project, Jackson said. Last year, the community development arm of the YMCA finished spending $4.7 million to renovate dilapidated row houses and apartment buildings into 31 units of affordable housing and six commercial spaces. Most of those structures are in the 200 and 300 blocks of West Market Street.

Rick Eisenhart of Pruss Supply Co. Inc. said West Market Street has improved over the past six years or so, a change he credits to former Mayor Charlie Robertson and his administration. The administration invested taxpayers' money into the area, such as working to get rid of a porn shop near the Codorus Creek, he said.

Still, more progress needs to be made, he said.

"Previously, it was a little more run down," Eisenhart said. "But you still have a lot of transients in the neighborhood."

The recent improvements have yet to help his employer's revenue, he said. His company sells restaurant equipment and doesn't depend on a lot of street traffic, Eisenhart said.

Jackson said people struggle to park along the street on Saturdays.

To address the issue, Jackson said, the merchants and York officials have asked the city's general authority to research parking options, including: paving a pathway to connect businesses on West Market Street to a city parking garage one street over; asking owners of nearby parking lots to provide spaces; and asking employees at companies on West Market Street to not park in front of their workplaces.

In addition, York officials are negotiating to move the York Rescue Mission and a nonantiques and boutiques business from the themed. district to make room for more antiques and boutiques retailers that would better fit in, Jackson said.

Businesses that he said he would like to see in the district include an antique toy store, an antique clock and watch shop, an antique mission-style furniture store, a bakery and a bed and breakfast.

In the meantime, officials and existing merchants continue to plug with ways to market the district.

The Olde York Street Fair will take place May 11 on the 200 and 300 blocks of West Market Street, which will be the first time it will be held at that location, Jackson said.

More than 250 arts, crafts and food vendors are expected to peddle their wares at the annual event. Also, the merchants are designing a banner that would hang above their district, he said.