Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Downtown revitalization expert to speak on May 16

Dave Kilbourne talks to business community at Toll House event

By Dale Bryant

The Los Gatos Downtown Association, weary of its hand-to-mouth existence, is bringing Dave Kilbourne, executive director of Downtown Revitalization Consultants, to town May 16 to share with business owners successful marketing strategies that have been employed by other business communities.

The two-hour program takes place at the Toll House and begins at 6 p.m. In addition to beautification and marketing strategies, Kilbourne will show slides of visual effects that have been used in other shopping districts to create ambiance. He'll also discuss possible funding mechanisms to make such programs possible.

Metro Newspapers, which owns the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, is paying Kilbourne's speaking fee. Explains publisher David Cohen: "We think it's important to bring in the best experts to keep the town's economy healthy. Dave Kilbourne is the state's preeminent authority on downtown revitalization."

LGDA Executive Director Barbra Toren said anyone with a business license is encouraged to attend the May 16 presentation.

Joe Hargett, who recently completed his term on the LGDA's executive committee, has worked with Kilbourne before. Following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the LGDA brought Kilbourne in to help establish a Business Improvement District to revitalize the devastated downtown business community.

The town and the BID agreed to put the district "on the shelf" in March 1994 because a small but vocal minority had created so much dissent that the annual renewal process had become a hassle. At that time, the town agreed to fund the LGDA using the increase in business license fees.

With the town's current budget crisis, however, all town funding has ceased. The LGDA launched an ambitious membership campaign to stay afloat, but has met with only moderate success.

"As business owners, we need to buy into the streetscape plan," Hargett said. "But the town certainly isn't going to come out and clean the sidewalks. We need to deal with maintenance and also find a way to maintain a dialogue with local government."

LGDA President Mike Jacobi said: "We're pursuing every possible avenue to stay afloat. One of the things we want to do with Dave [Kilbourne] is explore the options."

Jacobi, creative director for Willow Street Wood-Fired Pizza, added: "What I'm interested in doing is moving ahead with maps and brochures, with telling people why they should come to Los Gatos. People who already come here know why they do it, but if we don't start reaching the people who don't know why they should come to Los Gatos, there'll be trouble down the road."

Kilbourne, whose company is based in Chico, has worked with business groups in 75 cities in California, including Los Altos, Burlingame, Santa Cruz and Saratoga.

"The catalyst factor that usually brings downtown organizations together," Kilbourne told the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, "is a desire to compete with malls. Los Gatos businesses experience a lot of sales leakage to Valley Fair, for instance." He noted that Los Gatos Boulevard businesses might also benefit from participating in the May 16 presentation.