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 - 2021 THIS 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. THIS YEAR, WE DID NOT CELEBRATE MAYFAIR AS COVID WAS STILL RAGING. HOWEVER, ON OCTOBER 10TH, 2021, WE CELEBRATED OUR 42ND ANNUAL OKTOBERFEST CELEBRATION AND GENERATED $ 40,4180 IN INCOME AND HAD EXPENSES OF $ 21,163. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT WE HAD ABOUT 25,000 VISITORS DURING THE 6-HOUR PERIODFAR LESS THAN WE TYPICALLY HAVE. WE WERE VERY CAREFUL IN PLACING VENDORS. WE MADE SURE THAT NO VENDOR WAS PLACED IN FRONT OF EXISTING BUSINESSESTAKING THE OPPORTUNITY TO "SHOWCASE" OUR RETAILERS AND RESTAURANTS. WE ENCOURAGED FOLKS TO VISIT OUR STORES AND EAT IN OUR RESTAURANTS, AS WELL AS SUPPORT THE VENDORS; IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THEY WERE ALL HURTING FINANCIALLY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC. THE CANCELLATION OF MAYFAIR AND THE SCALING BACK OF OKTOBERFEST WAS A GOOD PLAN. AS WE MENTIONED IN OUR 2020 LIST OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS, WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE WHOLESALE FAILURE OF OUR BUSINESSES. 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 2021 WAS MARKETING EXPENSE OF $44,644 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 SECOND LARGEST EXPENSE AT $21,163 FOLLOWED BY $18,343 FOR OUTDOOR PLANTINGS, TABLES, CHAIRS, AND UMBRELLAS, THE (3) 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 2021 THAT WERE FREE, FAMILY-FRIENDLY AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE OUTSIDE PUBLIC SPACE IN 2021, 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.