The Chihuly glass exhibit has brought droves of new customers to local businesses, which welcome the sales.
By SHARON L. BOND
Published April 18, 2004
ST. PETERSBURG - Red Cloud Indian Arts extended its retail hours by two days, Moon Under Water added workers and Bruce Watters Jewelers saw an increase in new faces in the store.
The Chihuly glass exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts on Beach Drive has given some Beach Drive merchants a boost in business. For others, the increased traffic and search for parking has made it hard for regular customers to get in. But just about all say it has been good for downtown.
"It's been great. It is bringing people to downtown St. Petersburg, a lot of whom haven't been here," said Bob Serata of Bernies & Son, a jewelry shop at 144 Beach Drive NE.
Most customers in his shop have seen the exhibit of wildly colorful, intricately designed blown glass. Some come in after they have seen it; some hear about it from him and go to the museum from his store.
Buyers in Bernies have been the "artsy people looking for unusual jewelry, something they couldn't find someplace else, and I have stuff like that," Serata said.
"Chihuly Across Florida: Masterworks in Glass" opened in mid January at the museum at 255 Beach Drive NE. Artist Dale Chihuly brought his studio glass to the museum, set it up in its own rooms, installed it among existing pieces of art and decorated the museum's gardens with it. The exhibit runs until the end of May and now is the highest attended exhibit in the 40-year history of the museum, according to director John Schloder.
"We just passed the 102,000 mark (total of people attending)," Schloder said.
Red Cloud Indian Art's regular business days were Tuesday through Saturday until the crowds for Chihuly arrived. Then, the store at 208 Beach Drive NE stayed open seven days a week until about a week ago. Now, it is closed on Mondays.
"It's bringing in so many people," said owner Harriet Rambeaux. "I sold a $1,500 ivory bear to a Chihuly" exhibit-goer. Another bought $1,500 worth of prints.
Rambeaux estimates sales are up about 20 percent over last year due to Chihuly. Her shop sells American Indian jewelry, pottery and fine arts. The art is priced between $800 to $10,000. The most expensive piece she has sold to a Chihuly person was an $8,000 painting.
"Sunday has been very successful for us. When you are working four hours on Sunday and bringing in a lot of money, that is nice business," Rambeaux said.
Diane Lyle, owner of Goodnight Moon at 222 Beach Drive NE, said she thinks the exhibit has had more of an positive effect on restaurants than shops like hers. She sells fine linens and gifts. "For me, it is more the visibility. It is a means of advertising," she said of the exhibit.
Moon Under Water restaurant at 332 Beach Drive NE is proof of Lyle's comment. Owner Alan Lucas said the Chihuly has had a "wonderful impact on the lunchtime business.
"We are up about 22 percent (over last year) at the moment." Lucas said a better measure is that sales are up 15 percent over 2000 and 2001. Of that increase, 75 percent is the result of Chihuly.
To accommodate the extra business, Lucas hired three workers for the day shift, including one in the kitchen. That represents about a 10 percent increase in his staff, he said.
Ken Welch is owner/manager of the Sandwich Boutique at 212 Beach Drive NE. His 38 seats have stayed full later in the day since the Chihuly exhibit arrived. The rush lasts until 3 p.m. now instead of tapering off at 2 p.m.
"I've seen about a 30 percent increase. Mostly people come in and sit, and then other people come in and can't find a seat so they get (food) to go. We are right across from the museum."
He is one of the merchants whose regular customers have been inconvenienced by the Chihuly crowds.
"Our regulars can't find a place to park. I have a very strong regular clientele. They will start trickling back in. They already have. It's been good," Welch said.
Richard Chador, owner of Earth's Treasures, is another Beach Drive merchant whose regulars have been temporarily displaced. He said he tries to call those who are picking up jewelry to tell them the best chance for a parking spot. Or he tells them to call from their cell phones as they near the shop at 282 Beach Drive NE in the Cloisters high rise. When they pull up, someone from the store will come out with their package.
Still, Chihuly has been a good experience.
"It has given the store a lot of exposure. When it comes to buying fine jewelry, people don't necessarily purchase on their first visit. Some of them do come back at a later date."
Some waterfront events don't put people in the shopping mindset, Chador said. "Ribfest brings traffic but not retail results." So far, Chihuly is the same for Earth's Treasures.
"I haven't seen great financial benefits as of yet (from Chihuly). But we always benefit from the exposure. It is very valuable."
Bruce Watters of the long-time Beach Drive jewelry shop with the same name, agrees.
"A lot more people have come in. They are not necessarily buying but getting a good, solid look at the store. I hope that when the occasion arises (that they are ready to buy), they will remember us," said Watters, whose shop is at 224 Beach Drive NE.
Meanwhile, there are the crowds looking for parking spaces. "It's been pretty rough from time to time," he said, adding he is glad the museum temporarily turned some of the grassy area beside the building into parking.
