Three Vista businesses to get makeover

By: ANNE RILEY-KATZ - Staff writer | Sunday, May 29, 2005 8:31 PM PDT ∞

VISTA ---- Three Vista business will be getting a customer-friendly makeover this week, part of a drive to lure shoppers to Vista stores this summer.

The shops will be the focus of a marketing workshop Wednesday designed to promote Vista retailers and will also be used to demonstrate the ways businesses can boost their "curb appeal" to prospective customers.

The new look will come courtesy of a "Shop Vista" campaign that city and Vista Village Business Association officials said they hope will strengthen and promote Vista's retail vendors.

All of the test cases are downtown: Juanita's Tacos and Karaoke Systems Plus on Main Street and the Peppertree Postal Depot on South Santa Fe Avenue.

"We just thought of (businesses that) might help the downtown shine a little more," said Stephanie Jackel, executive director of the association. "We really would like to build (workshops) into a quarterly type of thing, to bring in people to make presentations helpful to merchants in various areas."

The official "Shop Vista" campaign, with a Web site and maps of city retail outlets, will kick off with a workshop Wednesday for local businesses, including a morning session on increasing business and the merchandising and display makeover in the afternoon.

Business consultant Barbara Wold will present the daylong workshop for merchants, designed to highlight techniques for appealing to customers through great customer service and displays.

Jackel said Wold will take a brief tour of the area and give feedback to association officials on the types of retailers the area is lacking, to help the association in recruiting new business.

The city will pay the bulk of Wold's $3,500 fee, with the business association contributing $500, city officials said Friday.

As part of the campaign, maps will be posted on kiosks around downtown retail areas and will also be a featured part of the Web site, with interactive portions to show details of the city's stores and attractions, Jackel said.

"I don't know how we got picked, but I think it's going to be a good thing for us, and for the whole downtown area," said Dean Delavera, owner of Karaoke Systems Plus.

The effort to put Vista stores on the radar screen of North County shoppers came about this spring, and involves the Vista Chamber of Commerce, the Vista Village Business Association, the Vista Economic Development Association and the city.

The campaign will showcase one local event each month, such as the city's Summer Concert series in June, the San Diego Symphony performance in July, and the annual Rod Run car show in August.

"I hope that everybody else will be interested in trying to do something too, a sort of domino effect," Jackel said.

Twenty-five business representatives and owners have signed up for the workshop so far, and Jackel said she hopes to see more interest from local retailers.

The June 1 workshop is open to all of Vista's Business Improvement District members free of charge, and nonmembers can attend for a $5 fee. For more information, call (760) 414-9391.

Contact staff writer Anne Riley-Katz at 631-6622 or ariley-katz@nctimes.com

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