By Janice Podsada
Herald Writer
EDMONDS — After 20 years, it’s still an Edmonds kind of day.
The old slogan, meant to lure visitors to Edmonds, may be dusted off and incorporated into a new campaign intended to promote the city and its downtown.
A group of merchants who belong to the Greater Edmonds Chamber of Commerce plan to aggressively market the city as a shopping and tourist destination. The goal of the group, called Team Edmonds, is to let people know that Edmonds is a good place to live and shop.
"There are options besides the Internet and the huge shopping malls," said Chris Guitton, the new executive director of the Greater Edmonds Chamber of Commerce.
"We want to be known as the friendliest town on Puget Sound."
The group of merchants want to promote the city’s downtown shopping district, but before they do, the group wants to ask for public input on how to best promote the city.
"We want to hold community hearings and ask Edmonds residents about how they want to portray their city," said Edmonds business owner Ruth Arista.
Arista said the public hearings are expected to begin in early February.
"If we make Edmonds a destination, it will benefit us all," said Petra Rousu, another business owner.
Rousu said promoting the city has always been a goal, but with the economic downturn it’s a priority to draw visitors from outside the area to the city.
The group hopes to raise $125,000 in the coming months. The money, in part, will be used to purchase newspaper, radio and direct mail promotions. This month, Team Edmonds received $10,000 from the Greater Edmonds Chamber of Commerce, which has a membership of more than 300 businesses.
The group expects to receive another $10,000 from the Edmonds Alliance for Economic Development.
In November, Team Edmonds members asked the Edmonds City Council for a $10,000 contribution. But no money was allocated, said city council president Dave Earling.
The group came to the council very late in the budget process, he said.
"We didn’t’ think they were well enough developed at that point. We told them to get the ball rolling and then come back to us."
You can call Herald Writer Janice Podsada at 425-339-3029 or send e-mail to podsada@heraldnet.com.
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