A manager of two marinas has a plan to get visiting boaters to spend more money downtown.
Craig Perry is manager of Dock Street Marina, located on Dock Street, and Delin Docks on East ‘D’ Street. He is trying to start a gift card program for boaters at local marinas. The cards would offer discounts and specials at the participating shops and establishments. A similar program was launched in Edmonds involving 76 businesses.
“There is so much money waiting to be spent in these shops,” he said. “It is being left out on the docks.
Perry has worked in his current position for three years. Thea Foss Waterway is attracting many more visiting boaters than it used to.
“Three years ago no one knew where Dock Street was,” Perry said. “People are discovering Tacoma. We are going to be on the map nationally.”
Visitors come from around Western Washington and as far away as Canada. Most are here on weekends, but there are some weekday visitors as well. Tacoma is becoming a popular destination for yacht clubs touring Puget Sound. Rising gasoline prices will cause more of them to pick destinations close to home, Perry noted.
Some boaters from Gig Harbor and Bremerton he has spoken to recently were unaware of Tacoma’s waterfront until they heard about it from friends. His marina has a booth at the boat show in Seattle and some people ask him if it is safe to walk around downtown.
“People still do not know about Tacoma,” he remarked.
World-class museums give visitors places to spend their time, and light rail makes it easy to maneuver around downtown for those who arrive without a car.
“It has changed a lot,” Perry added.
He wants to give visitors a canvas bag full of coupons from local businesses, a map of downtown and a card people could slip into their wallet. It could be used at establishments that have a decal in front windows that indicate participation.
The program would cost merchants between $100 and $200 a year, Perry estimates. If he can get enough to participate, he wants to launch the program in late March or early April.
“I want to provide an avenue to generate more customers for these businesses,” Perry said. “I do not want people to simply tie up and sit on their boats.”
Business owners interested in Perry’s idea are encouraged to call him at (253) 272-4352.
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