The Real Deal

By Sharman Egan Lagniappe columnist

Yep, it’s that time of year again. I’ve been to just one parade so far and already there are beads all over the house, a pair of stuffed pink dice hanging in the living room and the kitchen is well-stocked with MoonPies and tongue-coloring chewy pops we’ll never eat.

Soon downtown streets (not to mention restaurants, bars and shops) will be full of people. And for a few weeks, downtown Mobile will become what so many of us want in a downtown district. But is this, like Fat Tuesday before Lent, just a brief feast before a longer famine for downtown businesses?

Before Christmas I wrote a column that included a list of my New Year’s resolutions. Two of them revolved around doing my part to Keep Mobile Funky: supporting local businesses, reading more books by local authors, visiting the Mardi Gras museum. You get the picture.

Shortly after the column ran, I received an e-mail from Russ Adams, owner of a downtown bookstore, Bienville Books. It was Christmas Eve and Adams was feeling like the Maytag repairman, with plenty of time to e-mail me on a day when one would expect his store to be overrun with customers.

When we spoke again after the end of the year, Adams reported that 2007, his fifth full year in business, was up somewhat over 2006 but still well below 2004 and 2005. He says a variety of factors have contributed to his disappointing sales, including a decline after Katrina as people reduced discretionary spending in the wake of the storm.

Adams also thinks slow progress on downtown development and the lack of people living downtown has hurt his business. The BattleHouse hotel and the other major hotel renovations and upgrades have “helped a tremendous amount,” said Adams. As these projects have been completed, he has seen a steady shift in his business from locals to out-of-town visitors.

Although he’s adjusting his product mix to reflect that, he would like to have more loyal customers among locals. “The local population doesn’t seem to come downtown or to shop here,” he said. “Most Mobilians still aren’t ready to support downtown businesses. When they realize that it’s safe and interesting here, perhaps they’ll come visit.”

Apparently Bienville Books isn’t the only downtown business that needs more customers. Hal Alexander opened Alexander’s Decorative Arts on Dauphin Street in October. The store carries a wide array of high-end (yet reasonably priced) furniture, home décor and architectural pieces, including both new items and antiques. And you could hardly find a more beautiful historic setting.

Business has been mixed. “It was good in October when there were lots of activities downtown, but December was somewhat of a disaster,” Alexander said. “People keep saying it would be great to have retail downtown, but if they don’t support it, we won’t have it. I’m not trying to blame people. I’m brand new and people don’t know me yet.”

So what’s the answer? Both Adams and Alexander expect business to improve as slow-moving residential projects are completed, and more people move downtown. Alexander would like to see more retailers in the area, even if it means more competition for his store. In the meantime, he says the single thing that would help his business the most is more special events.

Adams said a key is more development. “I opened my store in 2002 to help get things going downtown. The block was almost empty and I knew that bookstores help seed blighted areas,” he said. “We need more teeth in the property laws. People need to either fix up their properties or sell them. They need to stop using 150-year-old buildings as warehouses so the area is more habitable.”

The most interesting thing to me in this situation is that Adams and Alexander, like most entrepreneurs, are eternally optimistic. Both are not only committed to staying downtown but they’re in the process of expanding their businesses, even in the face of slow sales.

Adams is renovating the loft on the second floor of his building with plans to move the used books upstairs and increase the inventory of new books. He expects to complete this work by September when the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance will hold its annual convention at the Riverview Plaza. When I spoke to Alexander, he was on a buying trip in Atlanta, stocking up on inventory for an expansion into the storefront next door to his current space.

So as you’re headed downtown for Mardi Gras, make a point of spending some money at the local businesses. And not just at Bienville Books and Alexander’s Decorative Arts. How about a new tat from Royal Street Tattoo or L.A. Body Art? Some peanuts from A&M or chocolates from Three Georges, just to name a few. If you’re not familiar with all the places to shop downtown, go to www.downtownmobile.org. I counted well over 50 retail businesses under Shopping and Services, not to mention dozens of restaurants under Dining.

But most importantly, don’t forget about these businesses when Mardi Gras is over. Let’s do our part to keep these businesses fat all year long.

Bienville Books is located at 109 Dauphin St. Hours are 10-4 weekdays and 12-8 on Saturday. Alexander’s Decorative Arts is at 360 Dauphin St. across from the Cathedral. Hours are 10-2 Wed.-Sat, and it is open for special events.

Sharman Egan is Lagniappe lagniappe columnist. Contact her at Sharman@SharmanEgan.com.

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