Harvard Square Business Association Inc

TO ADVANCE THE COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL AND PUBLIC INTERESTS OF HARVARD SQUARE, TO PROMOTE A COMMERCIAL EXCHANGE, TO ACCUMULATE AND GIVE TO ITS MEMBERS BUSINESS INFORMATION, TO ADJUST CONTROVERSIES AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS, TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN UNIFORMITY IN COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS, AND TO PROMOTE JUST AND EQUITABLE PRINCIPLES OF TRADE

PROGRAM SERVICE ACCOMPLISHMENTS - 2023THIS IS A BRIEF OUTLINE OF OUR MISSION AND A STATEMENT OF JUSTIFICATION FOR OUR THREE LARGEST INCOME/EXPENSE LINE ITEMS. THE HARVARD SQUARE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION WAS FOUNDED IN 1910 FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF PROMOTING COMMERCE IN HARVARD SQUARE, WHILE BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE SQUARE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, WE HAVE ADDED THE TAGLINE, "WHILE BEING GOOD STEWARDS OF THE OUTSIDE SPACE". THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO ACCOMPLISH OUR STATED GOALS. SEVERAL YEARS AGO, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING WAS A METHOD THAT SEEMED TO WORK BEST FOR HARVARD SQUARE. SUBSEQUENTLY, A SERIES OF ANNUAL EVENTS WERE CREATED TO ATTRACT PEOPLE THAT SPANNED THE ENTIRE DEMOGRAPHIC SPECTRUM. ON OCTOBER 8TH, 2023, WE CELEBRATED OUR 44TH ANNUAL OKTOBERFEST CELEBRATION AND GENERATED $ 76,826 IN INCOME AND HAD EXPENSES OF $ 35,566. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT WE HAD ABOUT 25,000 VISITORS DURING THE 6-HOUR PERIOD. OUR HOPE IS THAT PEOPLE OF ALL AGES HAVE A GREAT TIME, VISIT OUR STORES, EAT IN OUR RESTAURANTS AND REMEMBER THE SQUARE FONDLY SO THAT THEY COME BACK AS A FREQUENT VISITOR. WE ALSO HOPE THAT THEY TELL ALL THEIR FRIENDS TO DO THE SAME.THE SQUARE IS STILL ENJOYING A HIGH OCCUPANCY RATE AND OUR MEMBERSHIP CONTINUES TO GROW; WE ARE CURRENTLY ENJOYING A MEMBERSHIP OF STILL OVER 400, OF WHICH, 70% ARE LOCALLY-OWNED INDEPENDENT BUSINESSES. OUR MAJOR EXPENSE FOR 2023 WAS MARKETING EXPENSE OF $89,229 FOR VARIOUS EVENTS IN THE PUBLIC SPACE. OUR EVENTS ARE ALWAYS FREE, OPEN-TO-THE PUBLIC, FAMILY-FRIENDLY AND WELCOMING TO ALL. OKTOBERFEST WAS OUR THIRD LARGEST EXPENSE AT $35,566. THE MAJOR EXPENSE CATEGORIES ARE TRULY AN INVESTMENT THAT REINFORCES OUR COMMITMENT TO BEING A WELCOMING, CLEAN AND SAFE PLACE FOR ALL OUR VISITORS, NEIGHBORS, STUDENTS AND BUSINESSES AND TO BE GOOD STEWARDS OF THE PUBLIC SPACE. WE ORGANIZED OVER 50 EVENTS IN 2023 THAT WERE FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE OUTSIDE PUBLIC SPACE. IN 2023, WE CONTINUED OUR ADVOCACY FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS BY THE CITY OF CAMBRIDGE. THE WORK HAS BEGUN ON THE RESTORATION OF HARVARD SQUARE KIOSK AND PLAZA AND OTHER STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENTS ARE IN THE PIPELINE. WE CONTINUE TO SEE NEW BUSINESSES OPEN, MAJOR PRIVATE DEVELOPMENTS ARE IN THE PERMITTING PROCESS AND THE FUTURE IS LOOKING BRIGHT.