KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – Normally, communities discourage residents from walking around with open alcoholic beverages, but it’s become regular business in downtown Kalamazoo.
They are called “Social Districts” and they were first proposed by the state to help out bars and restaurants that were hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic because of social distancing.
Last night, Kalamazoo city commissioners created another Social District, at the east end of the Northside Cultural Business District, to help out three establishments there.
Folks are allowed to take a cup with them when they leave, or move to another business or city park.
Carl Rizzuto at Papa’s Italian Sausages says it will help their bottom line.
“We need more people to come down into our area,” says Rizzuto. “To quote the owners of the now closed Green Door Distillery Tasting Room, you can have 20,000 likes on Facebook but it doesn’t matter if they don’t come down to see you.”
NCBD chair Mattie Jordan-Woods says it will help them compete with other restaurants, bars and breweries.
“We have been trying to get this done for over a year and I just want to thank everyone for the city staff that was involved.”
Commissioner Chris Praedel said they had concerns about Social Districts when the idea was first proposed, but it’s worked out.
“You just have one cup at a time, or maybe 2 cups at a time, which means that you’re responsibly drinking. And even now that we’re not in the pandemic you know there’s only so many chairs in a location.”
Commissioner Jae Slaby says she’s excited to see this get approved.
“I run into so many people that don’t know what a Social District is so to me that means we gotta do a lot better marketing of it.”
Commissioners approved the creation of the new district unanimously.
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