First came the name change.
The Westport Downtown Merchants Association became simply the Westport Downtown Association.
For good reason: their membership included more than retailers. Real estate, financial services, marketing, tutoring — all those firms were helped by the non-profit, whose mission is to promote the economic interests of the entire downtown business community.
But now the WDA is expanding. They’re not changing their name. But they are serving organizations beyond the Main Street/Elm Street/Church Lane/nearby Post Road East footprint.
Across the west bank of the Saugatuck River, and into Saugatuck; from Playhouse Square and the Compo Shopping Centers; as far east as The Clubhouse near Southport, the Westport Downtown Association offers perks to members.
They take part in digital marketing campaigns. They have booths and a presence at events like the Fine Arts Festival, Westoberfest, Sidewalk Sales and the Holiday Stroll. And they tap into the skills and expertise of the WDA’s staff.
The goal is to show that downtown Westport is alive and thriving.
And that there’s more to Westport than just the relatively small downtown.
“We help everyone feel more a part of the community,” says WDA president Maxx Crowley.
Though a couple of miles from Main Street, Naturino is part of the Westport Downtown Association.
The monthly WDA newsletter — recently revamped and reimagined by marketing and communications director Brian Spurr — offers information on sales, upcoming events all over town and more.
It’s a great way, Crowley says, for a small business like Naturino Kids Shoes — in the shopping plaza next to Big Y — to spread the word about special offers.
Other businesses outside the downtown footprint that the WDA works with include Winged Monkey, Hammer & Nails, Stifel wealth management, Cobs Bead, Blossom + Stem, Millie Rae’s, Scout & Molly’s, Splash of Pink, The Post, and a variety of fitness studios and hair salons.
Recently, the WDA partnered with Content Studio — Chirag Shah’s event space on Riverside Avenue — for a meet-and-greet, networking, here’s-who-we-are social.
Even members without a location downtown can participate in WDA events.
Stylist Felicia Catale set up a chair and gave haircuts during this summer’s Sidewalk Sales.
Felicia Catale set up a “mobile salon” during this Sidewalk Sale. (Photo/Dan Woog)
And Pierluigi Mazzella brought an espresso cart from Fatto a Mano, to the delight of thirsty shoppers.
The Westport Downtown Association isn’t changing their name again.
But even if you’re not a downtown business, organization or shopper: They’re there for you.
(To learn more about the Westport Downtown Association, click here.)
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Despite the Hamlet sturm and drang, many forget Westport has a “second downtown”. You know, the one you pass on your way to the train or I-95.
Thank you Westport Downtown Association and volunteers, who continue to provide FREE events for our residents and guests. A shout out to all the merchants, landlords, and sponsors who all buy in to make our downtown vibrant.
The only free event is the sidewalk sale, and fine arts.
But you wouldn’t understand since you were never a merchant in Main Street.
Naturino is a gem for anyone who ever needs to get shoes for their kid. Prices are great, people are friendly and my kid gets shoes that fit her in 5-10 minutes without any complaining about how long shopping is taking.
I think it’s appropriate for the town to have an association speaking for all the businesses in Westport.
This is wonderful.
At the same time, the downtown definitely needs to have its own association representing downtown.
This goes without saying.
So now that the “downtown association” used be “downtown merchants association” has spread its wings, I think appropriately this opens the door to a long overdue creation of a downtown merchants association.