There are many who see shopping in Hamilton as a mall-only experience. I’ve heard countless times: “I don’t go into town, I only ever go to the mall.” To that I say: great news, in the central city we have a mall and so much more!
Central cities are hubs where economic, social, cultural and political offerings converge for people to participate in the exchange of goods, services, activities, experiences, and information. Hamilton’s city centre is exactly that. Boasting over 220 hospitality businesses, 200 retail businesses, 150 health, beauty, and wellness businesses and more than 400 professional and trade services businesses. These are over 22,000 people working in town, supported by more than 1,300 business and property owners who have invested in the city centre.
However, central cities are evolving. They’re no longer just a place to transact and leave. City centres must create the vibrant heart of a city. To compete against online and neighbourhood options, they must attract people with more than just the facilitation of buying goods and services. They have to give people what they want and even better, what they didn’t know they wanted. This opportunity lies in the multitude of experiences on offer.
Danish urban designer Jan Gehl calls this “the right recipe.” As with all recipes, this requires the right ingredients or as we talk about in central city circles, a carefully curated mix of retail, hospitality, professional services, and experience offerings. It’s not about competing with malls, they absolutely have their place and I love them, however it’s about the offerings in addition to malls.
One of the biggest drawcards of the central city is the owner operated business. The place unique to the city. These gems can be found on main streets, hidden down laneways or three streets over. These are places where the owner knows their business. Where customer service is top notch. Where best baked goods are debated, where fabrics are understood, where local knowledge stands best. These are the places that make you feel special and where relationships are built quickly.
Now, the elephant in the car park. Is it hard to find a park directly outside the shop you want? Probably. This is because we are a city and for every carpark you want, there are probably 20 other shoppers wanting the same one. So, here’s my recommendation: park one or even (gasp) two streets away. Yes, it may involve a five-minute walk, but during this walk you may discover a new business, a gallery exhibition, a free public event or even bump into someone you’ve been meaning to catch up with.
Next time you can’t find a park outside the shop you want to visit, look at it not as an inconvenience but as a footpath of discovery!
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