Group discusses Back to the Bricks

The Downtown Small Business Association July 28 discussed Back to the Bricks, the downtown post office, bike racks and new businesses.

The Back to the Bricks event, Aug. 11 to Aug. 15, is expected to be bigger this year, Chris Everson, Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, told the association.

Groups from as far as Canada, Ohio and Indiana are expected to attend.  In recent years people have become unhappy with the Woodward Dream Cruise, claiming it's become too much of a party and is less family friendly. Many have attended Back to the Bricks instead.

This event will have different events each day. There will be vendors, but these will be limited to help "drive all the local businesses," said Everson.  The visitor's bureau is encouraging downtown business owners to extend their hours for the event.

Saginaw Street, between Fifth Avenue and Court Street, and a large part of the downtown area will be closed on specific days and hours to accommodate this event.

The group agreed to write a letter asking the city's downtown post office to extend its hours. Their afternoon hours were recently reduced.  They will also ask that the post office remain open. There has been rumor that the branch may close.

The group hopes to select and install new bike racks this month. These will cost $100 to $200, but with the increase in downtown bike traffic these should attract more customers.  Flint's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has offered to maintain these bike racks if the group installs them.

There were complaints that downtown patrons and business owners are being ticketed for illegal parking, but construction workers are parking illegally without consequence.  The group may contact the DDA about this issue.