Unlocking more interest in Locke Street South

Huge crowds, packed sidewalks, balloons and tote bags herald new branding launch

Locke Street South is like a friend you haven’t seen in a while who you assume is doing fine, because he or she always looked great and was on top of their game.

The venerable shopping corridor’s 85 merchants want you to know that assumption remains pretty much correct, but you also need to spend time there.

That’s why at “Walk the New Locke” Saturday there were balloons and music and free goody-packed tote bags — eco-friendly canvas; very Locke — to celebrate its new branding.

A padlock-themed logo slogan reads “Built by Hamilton/Crafted by Community” and “Est. 1840.”

Perpetually bustling Locke might not seem in need of branding. It was perhaps the first street to usher-in Hamilton’s urban rebirth; one sign being the opening of a Starbucks there eight years ago.

But while other streets in the core experienced much-talked about comebacks, Locke’s identity remained in neutral.

Heather Coward, who owns LuLu & Lavigne Home Studio on Locke, and Jaime Krakowski, owner of Epic Books, helped spearhead the year-long branding exercise with a marketing agency.

“You think of the other BIAs (business improvement areas) and their branding: International Village, Westdale, Ottawa Street — they own it,” said Coward. “What is your esthetic, what is your image? You need to brand and that’s what we set out to do.”

One shopper told her they hadn’t visited Locke Street in 10 years.

“And they live on the Mountain,” she said. “If people there don’t know about us, what about others? We want to reach out to communities and regions to come here.”

It was just one day, but the launch turnout was huge, with sidewalks packed, owing, Coward said, to heavy advertising in the Spectator and chatter on social media.

And if you thought Locke already lived a charmed life, the weather was proof: the morning sunny and crisp, snow holding off until well after visitors had shopped and gobbled up all 750 of the tote bags.

“I was skeptical (of the branding launch), but it’s been an unmitigated success,” said Julian Taylor, at J. Taylor Antiques.

The face of the street has changed, he said. Ten years ago there were eight antique stores, now there are three, but more eateries.

“The streets fill up in the evenings now for the restaurants, and they never used to.”

The event brought new faces into locales like Johnny’s Coffee, a warm and rustic coffee house on Locke at Hunter St. W. nearly over top of the train tracks.

Johnny’s got a new owner six months ago, the first in its threeyear history actually named Johnny (refreshingly minus the ‘h.’)

“Johnny’s was on the first wave of the new coffee scene in Hamilton,” said Jon Ahrens. “And then it was kind of forgotten.”

Creaky front door and reclaimed barn wood floors you feel vibrate when trains pass?

It shouldn’t be.

We want to reach out to communities and regions to come here.

HEATHER COWARD LULU & LAVIGNE HOME STUDIO OWNER