If a bold plan by Ryde Council, the West Ryde Chamber of Commerce and Ryde TAFE goes to plan, it could have a similar transformation to the ongoing revitalisation of Redfern.
Julia Gyomber, community project officer at City of Ryde said they are hoping to make the current ghost town with boarded up shop fronts a thing of the past, using successful strategies adopted by City of Sydney Council in Redfern.
The plan will start with 'baby steps,' she said, by having 14 visual merchandising students each revitalise the shop front of a store on Graff Ave, Victoria Rd and Ryedale Rd.
'Shopfront showcase is an innovative initiative to get people to shop local,' she said.
'The idea is to assist visual merchandising students with their final year of the course and obviously help out shop owners and small businesses in the area.
'Collectively we will be able to create a more vibrant atmosphere on the streetscape level which then attracts the interest of passers by.
'So that hopefully maintains customers but also introduces new customers and new ways of promoting their products as well.'
She said the plan adopted from the City of Sydney playbook for Redfern was a step towards more logical thinking about the struggling West Ryde CBD.
'Baby steps are the way to go, I think we have been thinking a bit too big and it's a bit hard to get things going, so starting with something that is simple and effective that we know has been successful.'
The students will get a 'challenging' $200 budget to work on a shop front.
PARTICIPATING RETAILERS:
Bikeology; Bob's Models and Hobbies; Digital Cinema; Excellence Electronic Enterprise; Excell Glass; Helen De Cut Salon; Manila Mart; Mr. Piano; Newsagent and Handy Market; Oasis Hair Salon; Ravi's House of Spices; The Korean Community Magazine; West Ryde Ace Shoe Repairs; West Ryde Newsagency;
WHAT THEY SAID:
THE CHAMBER:
West Ryde Chamber of Commerce Treasurer Norma Etmekdjian said: '
'It is a wonderful project it will lift the look of the shops. People walking by will see changes taking place and it will not only impacting on these businesses but other local businesses.'
THE BUSINESS:
Paul Arms, operations manager at Bob's Models and Hobbies said: 'It is a great program, especially in this day and age small businesses are struggling ... it is a win-win for businesses and the students.'
THE STUDENT:
Jessica Zheng, Visual Merchandising Student at Northern Sydney Institute, Ryde campus, said:
'I have completed a bachelor degree in marketing as well so, I am hoping to combine the theory and practical I have learned to improve the store outlook.'
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