Let’s Compare!

The proponents of BYOB have said, “If you want independent support for our position, visit Ocean Grove (the town that Ocean City was based upon), Hammonton, Collingswood, Haddonfield, and Moore[s]town and judge for yourself.” (According to Proponents Website, 4/1/2012)

So let’s compare these so called “independent support for [their] position.”

• Hammonton is not dry (Click Here to see Google’s Listing of Bars in Hammonton)
• Moorestown had been a dry town for 100 years up until Nov 8, 2011 when the voters voted to allow Liquor Licenses

People=Potential Customers

Logically, in order for a restaurant or a retail business to be successful it needs people to come and dine or shop in their establishment. The chart below compares the year round populations of BYOB towns to Ocean City:

*Based on US Census Data from 2000 From www.FreeDemographics.com, Address was taken from a random downtown restaurant in each municipality.

The examples that they claim have anywhere from 2.5 and 8 times as many potential customers then Ocean City, this is part of their success.

Successful Downtown?

Are all the examples really successful? The following are some recent quotes about the health of some of the examples downtowns:

Moorestown, NJ- BYOB for 100 years+

“I sympathize with the shopkeepers on Main Street…the health of Main Street has continued to deteriorate. ”  -By Marsia Mason author of the “Under the Radar” Column for the Moorestown Patch, Opinion: The Main Street Blues, January 30, 2012

“We need to turn our attention to Main Street … Parking certainly is one of the issues. There’s been talk about having a coordinator for main street … I think we’re getting ready to plunge ourselves into that conversation … We’re looking for Moorestown to thrive and be a very business supportive environment.” -John Button, Mayor of Moorestown, Article from the Moorestown Patch, January 18, 2012

“On the other hand, taxpayers do not want to fund the dreams of some business person to sell shoes or hamburgers on Main Street. And the reality is that there are enough people who come along (like the four businesses in the Maxx’s space) to keep Main Street fairly populated. 

Another reality is also that not many of those businesses make much money. It took the Moorestown Running Company four years to become profitable, and the loan I made to fund the improvements, inventory and losses of the first 3.5 years will take about eight to 10 years to repay. And we are probably one of the better businesses on Main Street.” -Bob Bickel, Owner, Moorestown Running Company, Letter to the Editor: Main Street from a Shop Owner’s POV, Moorestown Patch, January 3, 2012

“Main Street Moorestown is hurting, and according to at least one businessman, the town’s not doing enough to support it. ” - By Rob Scott, Editor, Moorestown Patch, Local Businessman: What’s Being Done to Help Downtown Moorestown?, January 1, 2012

Haddonfield, NJ

“[A]fter eight years, Scott says, the money that they thought they’d find in what was billed as one of the most vibrant downtown districts in South Jersey seemed to have dried up.”  By Matt Skoufalos, Editor, Haddonfield Patch,  The Cost of Doing Business in Haddonfield, August 19, 2011

“I absolutely, positively know that Haddonfield is not for us,” said Duross, whose flagship store in Center City, Philadelphia has operated successfully since 2004. “If I can’t pay my bills, there’s no reason being open. We just didn’t fit.”-Haddonfield Patch, July 29, 2011