Insider's Guide
With a block of Phillips Avenue designated as pedestrians-only for three hours, a captive audience became customers for nearby MatchBox Candle Co.
“It was a constant flow through here,” said Steve Nosbush, who worked that night to help his son, Jeremy, the store’s co-owner.
“I’m at the store a lot more this year, and I see the patterns. With apartments and development down by Falls Park, a lot more people are coming this way from that direction. But having the street blocked off was very beneficial.”
Downtown Sioux Falls Inc.’s First Friday event in May was the second time Phillips Avenue was designated as pedestrians-only between Ninth and 10th streets, coinciding with Art & Wine Walk events. Both times, the candle and gift store saw a noticeable bump in business.
“Sales were definitely up,” Nosbush said. “I was pouring the wine, and my daughter was running the till, and it was a constant stream. The street event definitely helps. It’s free, and it gets people’s eyes focused on an area.”
That’s the whole idea, said Brandon Hanson, CEO of Downtown Sioux Falls Inc.
“We care about walkability, and we’re using this to promote a pedestrian-friendly downtown,” he said. “We want to test what happens if we connect our subdistricts with active programming. Do we spread foot traffic and convince people to stay longer? Our research says this should happen.”
This summer, Downtown Sioux Falls Inc. will hold free Open Streets programming for four events on the first Friday of each month from May through August.
The First Friday in May featured special activities in the pedestrians-only area such as live music, art and a curling demonstration. Upcoming events include:
- June 6 – Community in Motion, Phillips from Sixth to Seventh streets: This Open Streets activation is all about movement, wellness and community connection.
- July 4 – Red, White and Downtown, Phillips from Sixth to Seventh streets: Celebrate the Fourth of July downtown! In partnership with Levitt at the Falls, stop by July’s Open Streets on your way to the show.
- Aug. 1 – Art & Wine Walk, Phillips from 10th to 11th streets: Stop by this Open Streets activation on the way to participating Art & Wine Walk locations.
The Open Streets initiative was sparked by conversations among City Council members, led by Jennifer Sigette and Ryan Spellerberg. Both regularly patronize downtown businesses and wanted to encourage people to visit and walk around while cutting down on noise from vehicles and motorcycles revving engines.
With support from the Sioux Falls Police Department, the concept for the Open Streets initiative came together.
“I thought the event in May was a good start. I talked to a lot of the people who came out, and all seemed to really appreciate the concept and were having a good time,” Sigette said. “I would expect that as word spreads they will get busier each month.”
Spellerberg agreed.
“We really wanted to do this,” he said. “It’s fun to see something you’re involved in happen for the city. I’m very supportive of it. We go to different cities, and this is common to have your downtown more walkable. So we’re testing it in area for First Friday to see what the feedback is and if people like it.”
AARP South Dakota shared the vision of Downtown Sioux Falls Inc. and the city of Sioux Falls to make downtown even more walkable, safe and business-friendly. The Open Streets initiative builds on the momentum of past efforts such as last summer’s Lively and Beautiful Streets traffic-calming project, which helped set the stage for reimagining how streets can serve the community.
“We were extremely pleased with the May Open Streets event,” said Erik Gaikowski, state director for AARP.
“When we do activities like this, being available to listen to participants is a very important component. In talking with attendees at our AARP SD booth, we heard great feedback about what brings people downtown and what activities they enjoy, but more importantly how much they appreciated the focus on pedestrian safety and ensuring that our public spaces are accessible to people of all ages and abilities.”
The organization is hoping these events allow people to see “how to reimagine public spaces,” he added, as pedestrian-friendliness and safety are prioritized and social connections are enhanced.
“From listening to attendees and business owners, we know there is interest in seeing this kind of opportunity elsewhere in the community – whether that is in other areas of downtown or in other neighborhoods. This can also be a model that other communities across the state could follow,” Gaikowski said.
“After the great experience in May, we are so excited for the remainder of the Open Streets series. As we look ahead to June, we know there will be fun for all ages to engage in activities like pickleball, yoga and games with Parks & Rec. This will be a fantastic opportunity for different age generations to come together and connect, play, move and enjoy our community.”
Initial data shows that Open Streets helps generate increased activity. During the first pedestrian event last October, foot traffic increased 92 percent compared with another Friday that month and the same time one year ago.
“Dwell time” went from 89 minutes the previous year to 155 minutes during the Open Streets event.
“That’s what’s driving activity for businesses,” Hanson said.
“Additionally, 95 percent of people surveyed reported an increased sense of safety, and 78 percent discovered a new business downtown. It’s a great way to show unity downtown and expose people to areas they haven’t discovered yet.”
If the data supports it, the program could expand, Sigette said.
“I’m hoping the data we gather reflects increased sales for our downtown retailers and attendees share that they had a positive experience and would frequent downtown more during Open Street events,” she said. “If this is what data shows, I will work with stakeholders to discuss expanding Open Streets to more weekends in coming years.”
To learn more about the walkability and livability work that AARP South Dakota is doing in Sioux Falls and around the state, connect with the organization on social media, visit here or email sdaarp@aarp.org for information on volunteering or joining the advocacy network.
