Consumers encouraged to shop in Downtown Kingston!
Author : teriann“When you’re alone and life is making you lonely
You can always go, downtown
When you’ve got worries, all the noise and the hurry
Seems to help, I know, downtown”
The above lyrics are taken from the song, ‘Downtown’ composed by Tony Hatch and performed by Petula Clark which was originally based on a first time visit to New York City.
However here in Jamaica, we have our own version of Downtown, which encompasses selected streets of Western Kingston.
Although Downtown has been traditionally a haven for getting bargains, various criminal elements have kept away both investors and consumers.
Despite its historical and commercial success, Downtown Kingston has always had a bad reputation and seems in desperate need of a facelift.
There have been recent developments as police try to make consumers feel safer by removing ‘unofficial’ parking attendants. These attendants often solicit money from consumers who come to shop.
Although this move has been heralded by some as a way to reduce crime, some consumers have actually said they felt safer with their vehicles being monitored by these attendants.
One person whose car was actually stolen after he parked it in a legitimate parking lot in Downtown Kingston regretted not paying the money so it could have been ‘protected’.
Is there any hope for Downtown?
It is not all gloom and doom, however as Downtown Kingston has a number of thriving businesses which consumers loyally support.
Many persons I spoke to declare that they love shopping in Downtown, although they admit there are criminal elements present, they insist that it is no more dangerous than other areas in Kingston.
They love paying the reduced prices they find in Downtown as well as the flexibility of the vendors. The goods are of good quality, and are often sold in uptown stores for double the price!
One company that has been in Downtown for almost 25 years is Bashco. Although it operates in several other locations, they use the store on Orange street as their home base.
Bashco is presently offering a promotion to give consumers who spend $1500.00 or more a chance to win televisions, living room sets and gift certificates.
According to Omar Azan, the marketing and public relations manager of Bashco, the promotion’s tagline is ’Bashco believes in Downtown Kingston.’
So do you shop in Downtown Kingston? Let me hear from you!
Teri Ann Renee Paisley
Gleaner Online Writer
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4 Responses to “Consumers encouraged to shop in Downtown Kingston!”
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I like shopping downtown.
I actually have no problem with the unofficial parking attendants as there is one who, for some reason, always looks out for me.
My only problem though is the aftersales service (or lack thereof) which is/not provided by certain retail outlets. In fact one in particular on Princess street has not learned the lesson that Bashco has…it’s not only about price.
In fact, because that store has managed to essentially corner the market on kids novelty items (which in many instances are of very poor quality) I have found that they have become quite obnoxious. They’ll learn soon though, with a bit of competition hopefully, that selling inferior quality items cheaply, will not keep you in business for very long.
Kudos though to Bashco with Omar and Queenie. They cheer me up everytime I watch them on CVM. I too have good hopes for downtown. Hopefully with all the renewed interest being placed on enhancing the commercial value of the area, some will also be placed on the environmental ones too…land and sea.
People encourages the slackness due to laziness & the one up on the less fortunate.
I think its too congested downtown to shop
the sidewalks are filled with merchandise on the ground, and U better not fall on their wares; handcarts, strollers and trolleys
up and down King st.sometimes with hot soup
is a danger.
The highest Court in the land when U go by
U get harassed and OMG the stench…these
ppl R in back & front of Bldg…don’t the
Judges, attys, Clerk of Courts & gov employees
have nostrils?
The smell of pee & body odor along with garbage stench is sickening, A city usually
tell how nasty a country is, and so many sell
things for consumption with no food handlers
permit…downtown is almost like Riverton
dump…YUK !
Well it’s up to all Jamaicans to preserve and protect our island beauty including being supportive of restoring downtown. Let’s hope that the powers that be make the restoration/cleaning process a priority.
Thanks Annie for responding and for the positive feedback. I agree that all companies need to offer excellent customer service and goods of the highest quality in order to keep their customers.