There are more places to spend your money than the bars on State Street, the Binghamton University Bookstore and Wal-Mart, thanks to the Gorgeous Washington Street Association.
Founded in 2000, the Association is a collaboration of over 80 businesses in the Binghamton area that work to beautify the Downtown area and support the local businesses located there.
One event that the Association is well known for is its First Fridays, an event that highlights the local art community.
“Our really big success has been the First Friday event,” Sherry Eaton, the chairwoman of the Association, said. “We started out with around 12 venues, and last December we had 50.”
First Fridays have been the Association’s main event for several years.
“We just celebrated the end of four years,” Eaton said. “We just started year five, last Friday.”
Besides First Fridays, the Association has been responsible for other projects. Through grant money, the Association has been able to complete several beautification projects, and plans to do more in the future.
“It’s something we been doing the whole seven years,” Eaton said. “Shop owners and landlords on Washington Street get together on one day and do a huge planting of the entire street.”
The projects have made the area nicer for businesses and the community.
“It is very rewarding,” Eaton added. “Last year he had about 40 or 50 people working on it.”
The Association is also a good way for businesses to interact. Rob Wandell, the owner of Imagicka, a self-described “unique metaphysical gift shop,” believes the organization is good for the Downtown economy.
“Otherwise we are struggling independently,” said Wandell, who is the vice chairman of the Association. “Here we have small, locally-owned businesses helping each other out in a cooperative way, instead of a competitive way.”
Wandell, who has been in the Association since he opened his business, has seen many positive effects from it.
“It has helped in incredibly positive ways,” Wandell said. “Through it I have made more connections with other businesses down here.”
The Association has more First Fridays and another beautification project planned for the spring. Eaton believes students are beginning to discover what Downtown has to offer.
“We are beginning to get more and more students from SUNY in the coffee shops, pizza places and boutiques,” Eaton said. “A lot of people were unaware of them.”