Last year, the ThriveOn Economic Opportunity Workgroup brought businesses located in the Historic King Drive BID together to improve equitable economic opportunities.
Now in its second year, the workgroup recently launched a pilot project designed to increase foot traffic in the BID. The Bronzeville Restaurant Crawl Shuttle Program offers patrons a convenient way to attend various events while exploring eateries on King Drive. The program launched in July with plans to carry through October.
“The charge was to invest in supporting these businesses, support of these developments, and support of these property owners to increase foot traffic and make it a destination again.” Kermiath McClendon said.
McClendon is the impact investing manager for the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, one of the cohort’s supporting partners along with the Historic King Drive BID, the MLK Economic Development Corporation, the YWCA, Northwest Side CDC, African American Chamber of Commerce, The Business Council, SPA Holdings and Morgan Partners.
Attendees carrying tickets for events and entertainment venues such as the Florentine Opera, Marcus Performing Arts Center, professional sports games and more can park their car at a secure lot adjacent to MLK EDC, 2745 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, where a shuttle service takes them to one of the partnering restaurants before continuing to the main event.
Restaurants include Garfield’s 502, PepperPot, Dream Lounge Social, Sam’s Place Jazz Café and HoneyBee Sage Wellness & Apothecary Café.
Restaurant owners currently participate in the program for free thanks to financial support from the Foundation, which contributed $30,000 in grants, and the MLK EDC, which likewise offered grant support and is spearheading the project.
“We want to tap into that Downtown foot traffic to bring that audience to King Drive and vice versa to bring that King Drive audience to different venues as well,” McClendon said. “I think King Drive is a good destination district where something like this can work out.”
Individuals interested in utilizing the shuttle service can contact info@mlkedcmke.org or 414-264-5000. Tickets for a given event must be purchased separately.