If you've been downtown recently, you may have noticed several businesses boarded up and spaces shuttered.
“We were really banking on tourism and conventions, and for some reason, that fell short,” said Christine McGowan, managing partner of Madam Bonnie’s, a glitzy Prohibition-era restaurant and bar that ABC 10News featured back in December.
Unfortunately, Madam Bonnie’s closed its doors for good in July.
“I think a lot of people don’t want to venture downtown. They’re more than happy to go to their local spots in Encinitas, Carlsbad, or La Jolla,” McGowan said.
McGowan said that many downtown businesses face the same challenges—high rent and inflation. She also cited homelessness and a lack of parking as factors deterring potential customers.
“Something needs to be done by the city to incentivize people from North County, East County, or wherever to come downtown,” she said.
Elected leaders are addressing these issues. On Friday, a special hearing was held at the Balboa Theatre to discuss revitalizing California’s downtown districts.
“We formed this select committee with a core question: What can we as policymakers do to help California’s downtowns recover from the aftermath of the pandemic?” said Assemblymember Matt Haney.
One proposed solution for San Diego is the continued development of a pedestrian-friendly promenade in the Gaslamp Quarter.
“That’s our long-term vision—something that is built purposely in that way,” said Mayor Todd Gloria.
There is some good news, though. A new business is making its downtown debut this weekend: Goodnight John Boy on G Street.
“I had a vision of wanting to do a disco like the ones from my childhood,” said owner Michael Schwartz.
Goodnight John Boy is a 1970s-era disco restaurant and bar hoping to draw customers and help revitalize the area.
“We envision a place where people can gather. This world has become so focused on cell phones and disconnected. This brings you back to what it used to be—the old music, the old-school design,” Schwartz said. “It creates unity, it creates diversity, and I think it’ll be great for the area.”
Post-pandemic, that may be exactly what the neighborhood needs.
