The city of Dayton should do better
Downtown Dayton has changed a lot, and people are tired of acting like everything’s fine when it clearly isn’t. They don’t want to go.
Every small business owner is getting screwed right now. And instead of fixing the issues that actually keep people away, the city keeps dumping money into studies, meetings and feel good projects that don’t seem to help the businesses actually trying to survive here. Businesses like heart try to fill the gaps of need.
People are paying ridiculous rent living and working and trying to keep downtown alive are stuck dealing with customers who are worried about shootings, break ins, safety, parking, and whether it’s even worth coming down here at night. There’s no police presence. It isn’t safe.
People can debate whether that perception is fair, but it doesn’t really matter. If people don’t feel comfortable, they stop showing up. That’s just reality.
These girls have done more for Dayton than the city ever seems willing to do for businesses like theirs. They’ve raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for people in need, helped organize tornado relief, supported victims after the Oregon District shooting, promoted local businesses nonstop, and constantly supported events, restaurants, shops, artists, and organizations all over the region. Even small businesses outside of downtown. Anything around to help.
They spent years trying to convince people Dayton was worth showing up for.
Dayton is hostile to small businesses.
Small businesses have been carrying this city on their backs for years while getting almost nothing meaningful in return. Rent is high and the return is shitty. People don’t want to go.
Other cities actually invest in making their downtowns feel alive, safe, clean, walkable, and welcoming. Dayton talks endlessly about revitalization while wasting millions on a pointless Peace Talk that benefited nobody, committees, consultants, that have benefited absolutely nobody, while businesses downtown are left barely hanging on and wondering why it feels so hard just to exist here.
I hope they end up somewhere they’re actually appreciated and supported and people go. Somewhere businesses aren’t expected to single handedly save an entire downtown while the city congratulates itself for programs, meetings, and PR stunts that never seem to help the people in need or the people tried to fill the voids left.