By Starla Pointer • Staff Writer • 

Urban strategist: Bring the color, lose the awnings

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Comments

tagup

All due respect to the expert, It does rain here frequently. Without the awnings, shoppers will be standing in the rain....Not sure shoppers will do that, no matter how nice the window lighting is.

BlueDak

Is this a joke? Awnings are SUPPOSED to degrade in weather so the humans beneath don’t. That’s what they’re for! They take the brunt! It rains here! We run from awning to awning. Businesses without awnings only see us sprint by.
And yes, they cast shadows. Again, that’s what they’re for! Summers can be pretty miserable and they’re getting worse. I choose where to walk by where the shade is.
Make the awnings bright & colorful or transparent or maintain them better or whatever, but don’t ignore the reason they’re there.

Kayaker55

No trees, no awnings, no character . . .

carolsm

Well, I came here to say this about awnings, and I seem to have company... This is Oregon: it rains! It has always puzzled me why so few shopping areas here have covered walkways.

Lulu

Look around, folks: This is not Santa Barbara. Il y pleut beacoup ici. I want to be an Urban Strategist and tell residents what hicks they are. How much is she being paid? Our attachment to awnings is rooted in common sense.

Otis

Every biz on the north side of third will absolutely cook in the summer if we lose the awnings. Even more so if the trees get replaced.

Roger

Bring back neon signs (not LED). I realize that they are expensive and require maintenance. Only the businesses that are here for the long run could probably justify the expense. Getting rid of awnings is a great way to chase away customers!

Raven

I love the awnings on 3rd Street! We do not need an “urban” planner to tell us what makes our community attractive. We are not Main Street Disneyland but 3rd Street McMinnville. Our store owners don’t need someone to tell them how to arrange their window displays. What is important is the character of the stores which is reflected by their non-formulaic way of displaying their wares and most importantly the people who work within the stores. Leave the awnings, freshen up the paint and take your wisdom to Lake Oswego.

A New Generation

Checkmate and touche.
Nothing to add here.
Keep the awnings.

Mike

When it rains it pours. The awnings are there to protect customers as they window gaze into a business. Sometimes it’s about being practical not for a look that one wants because it would “look nice”.

Mike

When it rains it pours. The awnings are there to protect customers as they window gaze into a business. Sometimes it’s about being practical not for a look that one wants because it would “look nice”.

Marcie

I rarely weigh in here any more and this is such stupid advice it warrants a note. As others have said awings mitigate the effects of weather along the sidewalks, without that shelter, especially with the loss to the trees for shade, many fewer people would be willing to spend time on the street. I spend less time on Third Street than I used to because it has become more filled with wine tasting rooms open only a few days per week. Retail diversity and the comfort provided by awnings and trees have been one of the this that has set McMinnville's Third Street apart from other small town centers that have gone to antique shops and empty storefronts. Keeping Third Street vibrant means supporting the small business owners who are continually battling rent increases that only well-heeled wineries can pay.

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