Social district gives Clayton a slight buzz

CLAYTON — Fans of social districts say they benefit the business within them.

But a month into Clayton’s foray into open-carry alcohol, many downtown shopkeepers say they’ve yet to reap any reward.

“I’ve only seen a couple of people come in here,” said Scott Heil, co-owner of The Crowing Hen, a gift shop at 325 E. Main St.

The sidewalk outside his shop hasn’t been deluged either, he said. “I’ve only seen probably 10 people with drinks since the district started,” Heil said.

He figures his shop would attract more social district drinkers if The Crowing Hen sold beer or wine, but it’s a gift shop, not a bar. “We don’t have our beer and wine license so that people can come in here and buy something that would help the shop,” he said.

Still, Heil is willing to give the social district the benefit of the doubt because the summer months are usually slow anyway. “People are on vacation,” he said. “So I think it still might be too early to tell if it will do anything. Maybe in August or September, it might begin to bring more people out.”

Other retailers say they have seen a lot of movement within the social district, where drinks are served in specially marked plastic cups.

“There have been folks out enjoying themselves,” said Stacy LeKander, the decor specialist at the Bexley House, a home goods store at 408 E. Main St. “We’ve seen a lot of cups, especially during the evening hours.”

“A lot of the time, it’s ladies coming out and enjoying some girl time while enjoying a drink while they shop around,” LeKander said.

The Bexley House might benefit from its location, she said. “We have Manning’s beside us, and LaDiDa right down the way,” LeKander said, referring, respectively, to the restaurant and wine bar. “So I do think that helps us to be right around where people can purchase their drinks.”

Also, the Bexley House is one of the few downtown shops open at night, LeKander noted. “We have given them the opportunity to shop in the evening,” she said.

Jody McLeod, the town’s mayor, has heard positive comments about the social district. “So far, the social district has been well received,” he said. “I’ve seen people with their social district maps out trying to get familiar with everything.”

“Retail shops have seen an increase in foot traffic, but summer sales remain slow,” the mayor added.

But McLeod sees potential in the social district. “It’s new for our town, and much like many other towns, it is creating yet another reason to come downtown,” he said.

Lydia Davis, the town’s communications and marketing specialist, thinks the careful launch of the social district most likely helped with the positive reviews. “It was a gradual and organized introduction that set us off on a good foot, and so far, everything has gone smoothly,” Davis said.

The social district has 20 stores and 10 restaurants and bars participating, Davis said. “We hope to continue seeing people out and about enjoying their beverage as they pop in and out of local businesses,” she said. “The social district gives people another reason to come downtown and explore our vibrant community.”

The town is getting some feedback on social media, and the social district task force will meet later this summer to review what folks are saying.

But like McLeod, Davis sees potential for the district to lift businesses. “Although the Clayton social district is still very new, we are overall optimistic about this new addition to downtown Clayton,” she said.

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