10GREAT: Shopping streets
Only a few years ago, cities were declaring their downtowns dead, victims of regional shopping malls, online retailers and suburban sprawl. But some urban shopping districts have come back big-time. “They have what I call the X-Factor of Urbanism. Very co
HIGH STREET, SHORT NORTH ARTS DISTRICT COLUMBUS, OHIO Home to Ohio State University and the state capital, Columbus also has one of the nation’s highest per capita percentage of fashion designers, thanks to such retailers as The Limited, Victoria’s Secret and Abercrombie & Fitch, which have their corporate headquarters here. Many employees moved to this once-scruffy neighborhood and opened boutiques and shops. One notable feature is the Cap at Union Station, which tops Interstate 670 with stores and plazas. “There’s nothing else like it in the United States,” Gibbs says. shortnorth.org
MAIN STREET CHATHAM, MASS. Downtown Chatham boasts more than 300 specialty stores selling shoes, apparel, art and sporting goods, and even has old-fashioned department and hardware stores. “It’s the nicest and most authentic small town on Cape Cod,” Gibbs says, noting its beach, working lighthouse and weekly bandstand concerts. “Very Norman Rockwell.” chathaminfo.com
PHILLIPS AVENUE SIOUX FALLS, S.D. This small Great Plains city is home to one of the best downtowns in the country, Gibbs says. The transformation, guided by a public-private partnership, has lined the streets with art. “You’ll find five or six sculptures per block. People will drive hundreds of miles just to come see it,” he says. Highlights include national clothing retailers such as Duluth Trading Co., and M.B. Haskett, an upscale European-style deli and restaurant. dtsf.com
LAKE STREET PETOSKEY, MICH. Gibbs says this Lake Michigan community is one of the best small towns in the Midwest. It scores a perfect 100 on walkability, a measure used by urban planners to reflect the ability to stroll to shops, restaurants, parks and other amenities. Vacationers come from cities such as Chicago, Detroit and St. Louis to enjoy the mild, sunny summer weather and the town’s bookstores, coffee shops and boutiques. petoskeyarea.com
MAIN STREET GREENVILLE, S.C. This once low-profile city has transformed itself with a downtown park and the planting of thousands of trees over the decades. “It’s now a green city,” Gibbs says. The street has 110 independent restaurants in a 1-mile stretch and has become one of the best dining cities in the South. The addition of a downtown park and a minorleague baseball stadium keeps it bustling around the clock. visitgreenvillesc.com
FIRST AVENUE, CHERRY CREEK DENVER While malls have been blamed for the death of many main streets, it was different in Denver. “The Cherry Creek Mall helped revitalize an adjacent urban shopping district,” Gibbs says. “It made the surrounding neighborhoods more desirable.” The area now has more than 600 business in a 16-block area. cherrycreeknorth.com
COLORADO BOULEVARD PASADENA, CALIF. You’ve probably seen Pasadena in movies and television shows. Its walkable retail district seems a picture-perfect downtown with small stores and cafés, a rarity in Southern California. “In an area known for sprawl, this is one of the few places, you can have an urban shopping experience,” Gibbs says. oldpasadena.org
SPRUCE, CHESTNUT AND WALNUT STREETS PHILADELPHIA Though hardly a little place, the nation’s fifth most populous city can feel small and intimate, and these revitalized shopping streets near Rittenhouse Square are a prime example. The once-sleepy area has boomed, with rents doubling in the past five years. “The sidewalks are packed,” Gibbs says. visitphilly.com
ATLANTIC AVENUE DELRAY BEACH, FLA. Once derisively known as DullRay, this Atlantic Coast town has had a remarkable turnaround in the past 30 years. With its hundreds of shops and restaurants, 20,000 people can visit in a day, Gibbs says. There also are inns, galleries and museums. downtowndelraybeach.com