Dear Reader,
This semester in English 201 I have participated in some very interesting projects and learned a lot from my experiences. The project that I enjoyed the most that made this class unique was the Public Sphere Day activity that everyone had to participate in. I believe that this was enjoyed by most even though at times very frustrating and time consuming. Public Sphere Week was helpful because it helped me to understand the “public sphere” that we were to learn about in this course. I am a hands-on learner and for me to be able to experience this first hand instead of being lectured to really helped me to comprehend better. I learned a lot about my community and the people who live here. They want things to be simple and less time consuming. They did not want to spend their time stopping at our booths on Public Sphere Day because they knew that we would be asking something from them. Many people’s response to getting involved with an organization or volunteering their time was “I don’t have time for that.”
Seeing this made me open up my eyes to relate this to my other classes. When I look back on the readings that we had to read for this class I noticed that good writers get straight to the point and do not beat around the bush because this is what draws the reader away. This is one thing that I have tried to improve in my writing. I have enhanced my writing by getting straight to the point and giving great details to back up my position. With these improvements I have also been working to improve my thesis statements. I have worked to make them more grabbing and to sum up my whole paper in one sentence. One area of my writing that could use the most improvement would be staying on topic and putting my thoughts into words. I feel that often times I know what I want to write about but when I go to do it I get off topic and do more telling instead of showing. This is an area that I have always struggled with but believe that it is improving with time.
Having made these changes and looking back on my writing, I believe that my annotated bibliography was my best work of the semester. I put a tremendous amount of time and effort into this assignment because I knew that it was important for my Public Sphere Day project. I spend several hours downtown walking around and interviewing store owners about how they believe their business is doing. I did enjoy doing this because I was able to learn about businesses I had never heard of and I was also given free samples of food to try!
If I could change one thing from this course I would have picked a different topic for Public Sphere Day because it was hard for me to get good research and persuade people to make a difference. There wasn’t a good group for me to join which made it hard to get a group of people together who wanted to save downtown. Overall, I really enjoyed this course and was glad that I was able to have Dr. Micer as a teacher!
Melissa Martin
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Content Analysis
No Spend, No Win
“I believe the proper approach to determine if we need a new arena is a referendum. The voice of the people must decide if it is in the best interest of all to have a project of this size. In addition to the original cost we must also weigh the cost of upkeep of a new arena, plus what must be done with Roberts Stadium. A quality answer as to Robert’s fate must be determined before a shovel of dirt is moved on a new arena. A face-lift and renovation of Robert's is the prudent way to go, so future generations will not be saddled with debt and a "white elephant" on the East Side. We messed up badly on the location of the new jail. Let's not be frivolous with money that belongs to the people and no one else” (Kniese).
These are the words that N.L. Kniese, Sr. of Evansville wrote to the Evansville Courier and Press about building the new Roberts Stadium downtown. This is just one of many outraged citizens who believe that this idea is ludicrous. Because of the poor and unstable economy that we are facing, Evansville residents do not believe that the city needs to be spending any money on unnecessary projects that will add to the growing debt that the United States is dealing with. With an estimated 30.2% of Evansville’s ancestry being German, this explains the hardheadedness of the people to accept change and the willingness to branch out to new opportunities (City Town Info).
The new proposal to replace the aging Roberts Stadium and move it to a new location in the downtown area has caused much uproar in the Evansville area. People see no problem with the location and condition of the present arena. They believe that it is just another way for Evansville to spend money on an attraction that will soon become a “white elephant” that nobody uses. Just like the cMoe Museum that is now downtown and does not receive the number of guest that was first projected. There have been many residents who have written into the paper saying that they will not go to the new arena if it is moved downtown because the location will be much harder to access. Handicapped citizens are especially being left out on this decision because they will not be able to walk the far distances that downtown will require. Downtown Evansville is not set up for large groups of people who may attend a concert or sporting event that would be held at the new location. The present location for Roberts Stadium works great with easy access and plenty of parking. The current arena has 12,117 fixed seats and the new arena would only seat 11,000 people (“How Many Seats”). If Evansville wants to draw in larger crowds of people, this is foolish. If they want to enhance the stadium, they need to build it with all the modern technology and in the right location with the proper amount of seating so that in a few years it will not be seen as outdated.
The citizens of Evansville know that downtown is not a convenient location for such a huge attraction as Roberts Stadium. It is difficult to get around and the parking is very limited. To put such a busy place here would cause a tremendous amount of clutter and confusion because most people are not familiar with that location. Many people wonder what will happen to the current location of the arena if it is rebuilt downtown. What would the city do with such a large building with all the parking spots if all the events that take place in it are moved downtown? This would become yet another building that has closed its doors and never gets reopened. It would sit vacant on a massive amount of land that could be making money but instead has caused a much larger amount of debt. To simple remodel the arena would prevent much headache for the city of Evansville. The parking and access to the place are already there. It seems more logical to keep the arena in the same location but to make the needed enhancements inside.
It only makes sense that the citizens are outraged because they have no say in this matter. It is our money that they are spending, so why should they care. The people are worried about this move because it does not make since to leave a perfectly great building in such a prime location vacant. They do not want to see such a great money maker move to a location that may make it go under. To many people it is more of a waste to leave a perfectly fine building vacant then to rebuild in a new location. Evansville cannot afford for this huge attraction to become yet another mistake that is eventually forced to close its doors.
Another example of how the Evansville citizens do not like change and spending money comes in the project to rebuild a new North High School. One outraged parent replied to an article online by saying: “I think this is ridiculous because some kids may not be in the bus riding area and parents can’t afford the gas back and forth to North. This is just plain ignorant leave the schools as they are they been this way for years and it should be many more to come .......I guess ignorance is allowed a lot!” (“North School Complex”).
People do not like it when they have to change their everyday routines because this causes too much chaos. For students to have to travel further to school or not be able to take the bus causes a lot of adjusting. People are not willing to adjust because they believe that the school they currently attend is where it needs to stay. Moving North to a new location will result in new school districts. A bus will have to be able to pick up students who are in that school district, so every student will have a way to school. It is just the thought of building a new North and remodeling the grade schools that sets people off because this means spending money. They forget that schools have to keep up with new technology and the growing population in order to keep its students and give them the best education possible. This requires remodeling and North does not have the space to add on to the current building and parking is a major issue.
Like the Robert Stadium problem, people wonder what will happen to the old North High School building. To have a vacant building left sitting is torture to most people. Evansville has a bad habit of leaving unused buildings sit idle. For example the old west side Wal-Mart building has been unused since the Super Wal-Mart opened. There have been many rumors about other businesses moving in such as Sears but no progress has been made. It seems that they could use these buildings instead of always building in new locations. There is no longer any open farm land because this has all been built up for businesses. It is sad to think that one day when you look out your window all you will see is houses and businesses. There will be no such thing as open land for wildlife to life.
Instead of the Evansville people not wanting to spend money, they need to be more concerned with the resources that all of these changes are using. Not only is money a huge part, but nature is affected also. With all the changes Evansville wants to make, this requires building on land that is used for farming. What will happen to the farmers in years to come when they find that they have no land to grow crops on? Evansville citizens must remember about the future generations. Not only are they going to leave behind the huge burden of debt but also the threat of no good farm ground. Current residents believe that this is not their worry but the citizens to follow. I wish that Evansville would think out these major decisions before they act because this has an everlasting impression on the city.
What most of these examples boil down to is the fact that Evansville must make these changes in order to keep up with the technical world. It takes a group of people to make the decisions that will be best for the community and there will always be someone who is not happy with the results. In the examples of the new arena and the new North, it all boils down to upgrading our current facilities, and citizens do not believe that we need to be spending money. Often times you have to spend money in order to make more money. The population of Evansville has a more moderate conservative approach on the political spectrum (US Census Bureau). This all has to do with the large majority of the ancestry being German. The people do not want to see changes taking place because this means that our money is being used to do so. They believe that they city needs to be more conservative and not constantly spending money on projects that seem worthless.
In conclusion, the older generations of people do not believe in spending money because they see the current buildings as getting the job done. This is where the younger generation steps in to keep up with the growing world of technology. If Evansville wants to keep up with the modern world, they must be willing to upgrade their current attractions. In order to bring larger concerts to Roberts Stadium we have to make changes to the arena to enhance the sound and other outdated features. To better the education that students receive, we must be willing to rebuild our schools to offer the best education possible. I believe that Evansville does a great job of keeping up with the advancing world, but their plans need to be better understood by the citizens. They need to state what will happen to the old buildings and how the new locations will better serve the city. With better communication between the people and the government much confusion can be cleared up. The citizens of Evansville need to have a more open mind when it comes to remodeling and spending money instead of instantly bashing every idea that comes forth. I hope that Evansville makes the best decisions for all of its citizens and for future generations to follow.
Works Cited
City Town Info. 31 Dec. 2008. Moving Traffic, Inc. 3 Mar. 2009
.
“How Many Seats?” Evansville Courier and Press 25 Jan. 2009. 3 Mar. 2009
Kniese, N.L. Sr. “Cast My Ballot as No For the New Arena.” Evansville Courier and Press 26 Feb.
2009. 3 Mar. 2009
“North School Complex on Paper.” Evansville Courier and Press 9 Feb. 2009. 1 Mar. 2009
U.S. Census Bureau. 22 Dec. 2008. 26 Feb. 2009.
“I believe the proper approach to determine if we need a new arena is a referendum. The voice of the people must decide if it is in the best interest of all to have a project of this size. In addition to the original cost we must also weigh the cost of upkeep of a new arena, plus what must be done with Roberts Stadium. A quality answer as to Robert’s fate must be determined before a shovel of dirt is moved on a new arena. A face-lift and renovation of Robert's is the prudent way to go, so future generations will not be saddled with debt and a "white elephant" on the East Side. We messed up badly on the location of the new jail. Let's not be frivolous with money that belongs to the people and no one else” (Kniese).
These are the words that N.L. Kniese, Sr. of Evansville wrote to the Evansville Courier and Press about building the new Roberts Stadium downtown. This is just one of many outraged citizens who believe that this idea is ludicrous. Because of the poor and unstable economy that we are facing, Evansville residents do not believe that the city needs to be spending any money on unnecessary projects that will add to the growing debt that the United States is dealing with. With an estimated 30.2% of Evansville’s ancestry being German, this explains the hardheadedness of the people to accept change and the willingness to branch out to new opportunities (City Town Info).
The new proposal to replace the aging Roberts Stadium and move it to a new location in the downtown area has caused much uproar in the Evansville area. People see no problem with the location and condition of the present arena. They believe that it is just another way for Evansville to spend money on an attraction that will soon become a “white elephant” that nobody uses. Just like the cMoe Museum that is now downtown and does not receive the number of guest that was first projected. There have been many residents who have written into the paper saying that they will not go to the new arena if it is moved downtown because the location will be much harder to access. Handicapped citizens are especially being left out on this decision because they will not be able to walk the far distances that downtown will require. Downtown Evansville is not set up for large groups of people who may attend a concert or sporting event that would be held at the new location. The present location for Roberts Stadium works great with easy access and plenty of parking. The current arena has 12,117 fixed seats and the new arena would only seat 11,000 people (“How Many Seats”). If Evansville wants to draw in larger crowds of people, this is foolish. If they want to enhance the stadium, they need to build it with all the modern technology and in the right location with the proper amount of seating so that in a few years it will not be seen as outdated.
The citizens of Evansville know that downtown is not a convenient location for such a huge attraction as Roberts Stadium. It is difficult to get around and the parking is very limited. To put such a busy place here would cause a tremendous amount of clutter and confusion because most people are not familiar with that location. Many people wonder what will happen to the current location of the arena if it is rebuilt downtown. What would the city do with such a large building with all the parking spots if all the events that take place in it are moved downtown? This would become yet another building that has closed its doors and never gets reopened. It would sit vacant on a massive amount of land that could be making money but instead has caused a much larger amount of debt. To simple remodel the arena would prevent much headache for the city of Evansville. The parking and access to the place are already there. It seems more logical to keep the arena in the same location but to make the needed enhancements inside.
It only makes sense that the citizens are outraged because they have no say in this matter. It is our money that they are spending, so why should they care. The people are worried about this move because it does not make since to leave a perfectly great building in such a prime location vacant. They do not want to see such a great money maker move to a location that may make it go under. To many people it is more of a waste to leave a perfectly fine building vacant then to rebuild in a new location. Evansville cannot afford for this huge attraction to become yet another mistake that is eventually forced to close its doors.
Another example of how the Evansville citizens do not like change and spending money comes in the project to rebuild a new North High School. One outraged parent replied to an article online by saying: “I think this is ridiculous because some kids may not be in the bus riding area and parents can’t afford the gas back and forth to North. This is just plain ignorant leave the schools as they are they been this way for years and it should be many more to come .......I guess ignorance is allowed a lot!” (“North School Complex”).
People do not like it when they have to change their everyday routines because this causes too much chaos. For students to have to travel further to school or not be able to take the bus causes a lot of adjusting. People are not willing to adjust because they believe that the school they currently attend is where it needs to stay. Moving North to a new location will result in new school districts. A bus will have to be able to pick up students who are in that school district, so every student will have a way to school. It is just the thought of building a new North and remodeling the grade schools that sets people off because this means spending money. They forget that schools have to keep up with new technology and the growing population in order to keep its students and give them the best education possible. This requires remodeling and North does not have the space to add on to the current building and parking is a major issue.
Like the Robert Stadium problem, people wonder what will happen to the old North High School building. To have a vacant building left sitting is torture to most people. Evansville has a bad habit of leaving unused buildings sit idle. For example the old west side Wal-Mart building has been unused since the Super Wal-Mart opened. There have been many rumors about other businesses moving in such as Sears but no progress has been made. It seems that they could use these buildings instead of always building in new locations. There is no longer any open farm land because this has all been built up for businesses. It is sad to think that one day when you look out your window all you will see is houses and businesses. There will be no such thing as open land for wildlife to life.
Instead of the Evansville people not wanting to spend money, they need to be more concerned with the resources that all of these changes are using. Not only is money a huge part, but nature is affected also. With all the changes Evansville wants to make, this requires building on land that is used for farming. What will happen to the farmers in years to come when they find that they have no land to grow crops on? Evansville citizens must remember about the future generations. Not only are they going to leave behind the huge burden of debt but also the threat of no good farm ground. Current residents believe that this is not their worry but the citizens to follow. I wish that Evansville would think out these major decisions before they act because this has an everlasting impression on the city.
What most of these examples boil down to is the fact that Evansville must make these changes in order to keep up with the technical world. It takes a group of people to make the decisions that will be best for the community and there will always be someone who is not happy with the results. In the examples of the new arena and the new North, it all boils down to upgrading our current facilities, and citizens do not believe that we need to be spending money. Often times you have to spend money in order to make more money. The population of Evansville has a more moderate conservative approach on the political spectrum (US Census Bureau). This all has to do with the large majority of the ancestry being German. The people do not want to see changes taking place because this means that our money is being used to do so. They believe that they city needs to be more conservative and not constantly spending money on projects that seem worthless.
In conclusion, the older generations of people do not believe in spending money because they see the current buildings as getting the job done. This is where the younger generation steps in to keep up with the growing world of technology. If Evansville wants to keep up with the modern world, they must be willing to upgrade their current attractions. In order to bring larger concerts to Roberts Stadium we have to make changes to the arena to enhance the sound and other outdated features. To better the education that students receive, we must be willing to rebuild our schools to offer the best education possible. I believe that Evansville does a great job of keeping up with the advancing world, but their plans need to be better understood by the citizens. They need to state what will happen to the old buildings and how the new locations will better serve the city. With better communication between the people and the government much confusion can be cleared up. The citizens of Evansville need to have a more open mind when it comes to remodeling and spending money instead of instantly bashing every idea that comes forth. I hope that Evansville makes the best decisions for all of its citizens and for future generations to follow.
Works Cited
City Town Info. 31 Dec. 2008. Moving Traffic, Inc. 3 Mar. 2009
“How Many Seats?” Evansville Courier and Press 25 Jan. 2009. 3 Mar. 2009
Kniese, N.L. Sr. “Cast My Ballot as No For the New Arena.” Evansville Courier and Press 26 Feb.
2009. 3 Mar. 2009
“North School Complex on Paper.” Evansville Courier and Press 9 Feb. 2009. 1 Mar. 2009
U.S. Census Bureau. 22 Dec. 2008. 26 Feb. 2009
MLK, Jr. Rhetorical Analysis
Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail” should be considered one of the greatest rhetorical acts in World History. His purpose in this letter is to respond to the questions of the eight clergymen and while doing this he encourages others to stand up for what is just and moral to bring peace to everyone in the world. He uses rhetorical appeals to make his speech more grabbing and appealing to the reader. His use of pathos shows that he is not encouraging anyone to break the laws because “that would lead to anarchy.” He states that someone wanting to break an unjust law “must do so openly, lovingly, and with a willingness to accept the penalty.” He knows from experience that if he wants to make a stand, he will have to face the consequence of spending time in jail. He does a great job of appealing to the reader’s emotions and influencing them to make a stand. He is a man of great knowledge and he knows that a nonviolent campaign is the best option they have. His proof for this comes through an example of logos when he states that “nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue.” King is right when he says this because the United States cannot keep ignoring the cry of the African Americans because all of their efforts to restore peace have been in total moral and truthful ways. His use of logos uses factual information and informed opinions to make his point. King also confesses how he has been “gravely disappointed with the white moderate” over the past few years. He uses ethos to show his appreciation for Reverend Stallings “for your Christian stand on this past Sunday, in welcoming Negros to your worship service on a nonsegregated basis.” He does a great job in recognizing the good that some Americans had done to include the African Americans and try to put an end to this problem. He does not totally bash every white person like most people would have. He keeps a moderate tone with a very urgent voice for equal rights. This letter is so well constructed that no person with any morals can say that segregation needs to continue. The African Americans are no different than any other person and they deserve to be treated with respect like any other person. He also states that they have “waited for more than 340 years for our constitutional and God-given rights. “ King is a well educated man who knows how to use his knowledge to successfully back up his stand. He points out that other nations are moving with “jetlike speed toward gaining political independence, but we still creep at horse-and-buggy pace toward gaining a cup of coffee at a lunch counter.” This is crazy to think that the United States of American is so far behind other countries because we are so advanced in other areas such as technology but cannot seem to find a way for equal rights between our citizens. As you can see, King’s essay uses such great examples that it can be considered one of the best pieces of literature in World History.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Letter to the Editor
8600 University Boulevard
Evansville, IN 47712
April 16, 2009
Editor, The Evansville Courier & Press
300 East Walnut Street
PO Box 268
Evansville, IN 47702-0268
To the editor,
With the proposal to move the new stadium downtown and all the negative feedback to this move, I can’t help but wonder if commuting around the complicated, one-way streets is the real reason for this feedback. The city of Evansville needs to improve the methods of transportation downtown in order to draw larger crowds of people willing to brave these confusing streets. Parking is another major issue that draws citizens away from visiting downtown and not wanting to see the stadium moved here.
Before the city wants to make these big changes for downtown Evansville, they need to clean up the streets to make transportation easier and less fearful for people to travel. They need to improve the one-way streets and provide better signs to guide visitors to where they want to go. Downtown has a lot of potential but smaller changes need to be made before they spend millions of dollars on a new stadium that may soon become another “white elephant” for Evansville.
Melissa Martin
Evansville
Evansville, IN 47712
April 16, 2009
Editor, The Evansville Courier & Press
300 East Walnut Street
PO Box 268
Evansville, IN 47702-0268
To the editor,
With the proposal to move the new stadium downtown and all the negative feedback to this move, I can’t help but wonder if commuting around the complicated, one-way streets is the real reason for this feedback. The city of Evansville needs to improve the methods of transportation downtown in order to draw larger crowds of people willing to brave these confusing streets. Parking is another major issue that draws citizens away from visiting downtown and not wanting to see the stadium moved here.
Before the city wants to make these big changes for downtown Evansville, they need to clean up the streets to make transportation easier and less fearful for people to travel. They need to improve the one-way streets and provide better signs to guide visitors to where they want to go. Downtown has a lot of potential but smaller changes need to be made before they spend millions of dollars on a new stadium that may soon become another “white elephant” for Evansville.
Melissa Martin
Evansville
Annotated Bibliography
Annotated Bibliography
Angelo. Personal interview. 24 Mar. 2009.
In my interview with Angelo, owner and chef at Angelo’s Italian Restaurant, he claimed that business for him has remained fairly the same with his average busy lunch crowd and regulars who come to his restaurant on a weekly basis. He supported this claim by informing me that he has been in the same location for fifteen years and that “the poor economy has luckily not affected him” but he hopes that the future for downtown Evansville will get better and that if the new stadium comes downtown, it will draw in new business for him. His purpose was to inform me of his great lunch prices by providing me with a lunch menu to hand out on public sphere day to try to get new customers to venture downtown to try out his Italian restaurant. His audience was anybody who enjoys Italian food and to get them to come and try the “real” thing!
His interview will help my project because he provided me with a menu that I can pass out on Public Sphere day and to suggest his very delicious and friendly atmosphere.
Benson, Shellie. “Navigating the Maze to Open a Business Downtown.” Evansville Business
June 2005: 20-25.
In Shellie Benson’s article “Navigating the Maze to Open a Business Downtown” from Evansville Business (2005), she suggest that the Downtown Evansville Inc. needs to be more friendly and inviting to people who are wanting to open a business downtown and loosen up on their strict rules and guidelines. She supports her claim by commenting that “what she wanted to do had to pass through layers of approval” which caused much headache for her and she was not able to put much focus on remodeling her new building and prepare it for opening day. Her purpose in this article was to get the point across that most businesses are not willing to go through all of these stern guidelines to opening a business when they can buy a location on the East, West, or North Side and probably even receive more business. She is writing to the Evansville people to explain why downtown Evansville is not doing so well and the pain you have to go through to open a shop in the Evansville’s Redevelopment District to try to get people to stand up and make a change.
This article will really help me to focus on the reason why businesses are closing their doors and not reopening because the guidelines they have to face are way too strict and do not allow businesses to draw in many customers because their appearance has to be so plan and simple without much detail.
Davis, Rich. “Ideas envision big future for ‘Big D.’ The Evansville Courier 21 May 1982, p. 13.
In Rich Davis’s article “Ideas envision big future for ‘Big D’” from The Evansville Courier, he claims that the Evansville citizens have great plans for what they would like to see downtown Evansville become. He supports his claim by using quotes from citizens who are ready for a change downtown to bring more excitement and activity to the very dull location such as, “Bring the Fall Festival to the walkway.” His purpose is to get people involved with the renovation of downtown Evansville and to make it a place that will draw large crowds of people for entertainment and a place to socialize with other citizens and people from other states. He is writing to the city of Evansville to persuade the people to get involved with the decisions that are going to be made and to promote Evansville as a growing city with new attractions to draw visitors in.
This article will help my project because it talks about how citizens were interested in changing Evansville and making downtown a more popular place to go years ago and this will help me to persuade people that we need to keep going with our goals and make downtown a place that gives Evansville an even bigger name.
Durham, Kilburn. “Time When You HAD to Go Downtown is Gone Forever.” The Evansville
Courier 3 July 1985, p.21.
In Kilburn Durham’s article “Time when you HAD to go downtown is gone forever” from The Evansville Courier, he asserts that business downtown will never be the same because the doctors, dentist, shoe shiners, hat makers, and barbers have all moved their locations from downtown to new locations which has taken away all business. He supports his claim by stating that they will not be able to bring these customers back because “they have no need to come downtown anymore and there is nothing to do that would be worth their time and drive.” His purpose is to prevent the city from spending a huge amount of money on bricking the roadway of Main Street because this will only put them in debt because business will not get better. He is writing to the public about the terrible position the downtown area is in since the big money makers have moved to new locations.
This article will help my project because it talks about how most people do not have to travel to downtown to take care of their everyday needs and they find no reason to go there when they can find what they need at different locations which has taken a terrible toll on the businesses located in the downtown area.
Fenn, Summer. Personal interview. 24 Mar. 2009.
In my interview with Summer Fenn, Event Sales Manager for Jillian’s Billiards Club, she implied that Jillian’s is a family restaurant where families can come to have fun and enjoy games and parents can even enjoy a drink if they would like. She supports her claim by stating that “Your fun is our business” and that they offer food, drinks, and a playing headquarters with plenty of fun things to enjoy which is a great way for you to bond with your family and friends. Her purpose was to stress that this is a family restaurant where you do not have to be twenty-one to enter and that a group of college kids can come in and enjoy food along with a game of bowling or pool. Her audience was the people who are looking for a cool place to sit down and enjoy some fun games and food without all the “hustle and bustle” of other game places.
This interview will help my project because it is a place for college age students to go and have fun without the worry of getting in trouble if they are not twenty-one and this is a great place to go if you have people in your group who are over twenty-one and would like to drink.
Gibbs, Tara. Personal interview. 19 Mar. 2009.
In my interview with Tara Gibbs, a hair dresser from Beaux Cheav located in downtown Evansville, she claimed that business for her has been great and that downtown seems to be a very convenient location for most people. She supported her claim by stating that many of her clients work in the downtown area and it is very easy for them to schedule an appointment with her and that they love the atmosphere of the salon that is in the basement of the Curtis building. Her purpose was that if you offer your customers a relaxing and enjoyable experience, they will keep coming back, and that is just what Beaux Cheav does with its “free complimentary drinks that include soft drinks, coffee, wine and even beer.” She wants to get across to people that what they experience at her location is what every person needs in order to relax and have a great time.
This interview will help me because it is a business that offers great service and also has a little clothing store that offers very awesome styles of clothing, purses, jewelry, and belts that will draw the college age students in.
Jeannie. Personal interview. 24 Mar. 2009.
In my interview with Jeannie, the owner of Jeannie’s Gelato in downtown Evansville, she asserts that business for her is “not good at all and that a new stadium downtown would tremendously help her restaurant to prosper.” She supports her position by stating that she has been in business downtown for three years and that the new stadium would be located across the street from her restaurant and that this could be the best opportunity for her to really make some great business. Her purpose is to share her low fat ice cream and delicious sandwiches, wraps, and homemade soups and salads with the rest of Evansville so they can experience this mouth-watering taste. Jeannie hopes to give customers a great treat that is healthier for their body than the ice cream that you would get from any other restaurant and she offers many flavors to satisfy every craving.
This interview will really help my research because I can use her restaurant as a location that not many people have visited and pursued them to go and enjoy all the wonderful treats she has to offer at very reasonable prices.
Morris, Joe. “Redevelopment Reinvigorates Downtown Evansville.” Business Images:
Southwest Indiana 21 Apr. 2008. 25 Mar. 2009
.
In Joe Morris’s article “Redevelopment Reinvigorates Downtown Evansville” from Business Images: Southern Indiana, he claims that residential development, more people working downtown, more entertainment options, and improved transportation have improved business in the downtown location. He supports his claim by stating that “residential development has brought people to participate and enjoy businesses and activities that are offered close to home and this has improved the economic standings of businesses downtown.” His purpose is to prove that with a little work and renovation more activities and business can really improve the downtown location. He is writing to the city of Evansville to prove that business can be improved downtown with just a little work and determination to improve the slumping economy.
This article will help my project because it talks about the growing number of residential developments which has drawn larger crowds of people to downtown and they do much of their business close to home because it is more convenient.
Smith, Becky. Personal interview. 24 Mar. 2009.
In my interview with Becky Smith, an employee from Piece of Cake in downtown Evansville, she claimed that business for them as been very well and they receive a lot of customers who just walk by and want to taste their cake of the day. She supports her claim by talking about customers who stop in who have never heard of their business before and want to taste the treats they have to offer and love it and keep coming back for more. Her purpose was to share their many different treats that they have to offer and explain that they have a cake of the day that people can stop by and enjoy a slice of or even take an entire cake home to the family. She wants to get more customers in to experience their wonderful treats and even consider them for “big events that they may need a cake for like a wedding or graduation party.”
This interview will help me because she talked about return customers who come regularly because they enjoy the service that they have to offer and this influenced me to share this information with other people who are always looking for great customer service.
Walker, Andrea. Personal interview. 24 Mar. 2009.
In my interview with Andrea Walker, the photographer and owner of Walker Studio, he asserts that his business is located in the prime location for business and in the perfect location for great photographs. He supports this claim by showing me samples of his work and how the busy streets of downtown Evansville make for great portraits with the river front and the old, antique buildings. His purpose is to provide customers with many different locations for photography not just limiting their choices to downtown, but he is also willing to travel to their homes or different areas of interest. Walker Studio can provide business to any person looking to “capture moments you will cherish for years.”
This interview will help my project because it has allowed me to see how businesses can prosper in downtown Evansville even when the economy is in the position it is if the owner is willing to work to make a living and do the best he can for his customers.
Angelo. Personal interview. 24 Mar. 2009.
In my interview with Angelo, owner and chef at Angelo’s Italian Restaurant, he claimed that business for him has remained fairly the same with his average busy lunch crowd and regulars who come to his restaurant on a weekly basis. He supported this claim by informing me that he has been in the same location for fifteen years and that “the poor economy has luckily not affected him” but he hopes that the future for downtown Evansville will get better and that if the new stadium comes downtown, it will draw in new business for him. His purpose was to inform me of his great lunch prices by providing me with a lunch menu to hand out on public sphere day to try to get new customers to venture downtown to try out his Italian restaurant. His audience was anybody who enjoys Italian food and to get them to come and try the “real” thing!
His interview will help my project because he provided me with a menu that I can pass out on Public Sphere day and to suggest his very delicious and friendly atmosphere.
Benson, Shellie. “Navigating the Maze to Open a Business Downtown.” Evansville Business
June 2005: 20-25.
In Shellie Benson’s article “Navigating the Maze to Open a Business Downtown” from Evansville Business (2005), she suggest that the Downtown Evansville Inc. needs to be more friendly and inviting to people who are wanting to open a business downtown and loosen up on their strict rules and guidelines. She supports her claim by commenting that “what she wanted to do had to pass through layers of approval” which caused much headache for her and she was not able to put much focus on remodeling her new building and prepare it for opening day. Her purpose in this article was to get the point across that most businesses are not willing to go through all of these stern guidelines to opening a business when they can buy a location on the East, West, or North Side and probably even receive more business. She is writing to the Evansville people to explain why downtown Evansville is not doing so well and the pain you have to go through to open a shop in the Evansville’s Redevelopment District to try to get people to stand up and make a change.
This article will really help me to focus on the reason why businesses are closing their doors and not reopening because the guidelines they have to face are way too strict and do not allow businesses to draw in many customers because their appearance has to be so plan and simple without much detail.
Davis, Rich. “Ideas envision big future for ‘Big D.’ The Evansville Courier 21 May 1982, p. 13.
In Rich Davis’s article “Ideas envision big future for ‘Big D’” from The Evansville Courier, he claims that the Evansville citizens have great plans for what they would like to see downtown Evansville become. He supports his claim by using quotes from citizens who are ready for a change downtown to bring more excitement and activity to the very dull location such as, “Bring the Fall Festival to the walkway.” His purpose is to get people involved with the renovation of downtown Evansville and to make it a place that will draw large crowds of people for entertainment and a place to socialize with other citizens and people from other states. He is writing to the city of Evansville to persuade the people to get involved with the decisions that are going to be made and to promote Evansville as a growing city with new attractions to draw visitors in.
This article will help my project because it talks about how citizens were interested in changing Evansville and making downtown a more popular place to go years ago and this will help me to persuade people that we need to keep going with our goals and make downtown a place that gives Evansville an even bigger name.
Durham, Kilburn. “Time When You HAD to Go Downtown is Gone Forever.” The Evansville
Courier 3 July 1985, p.21.
In Kilburn Durham’s article “Time when you HAD to go downtown is gone forever” from The Evansville Courier, he asserts that business downtown will never be the same because the doctors, dentist, shoe shiners, hat makers, and barbers have all moved their locations from downtown to new locations which has taken away all business. He supports his claim by stating that they will not be able to bring these customers back because “they have no need to come downtown anymore and there is nothing to do that would be worth their time and drive.” His purpose is to prevent the city from spending a huge amount of money on bricking the roadway of Main Street because this will only put them in debt because business will not get better. He is writing to the public about the terrible position the downtown area is in since the big money makers have moved to new locations.
This article will help my project because it talks about how most people do not have to travel to downtown to take care of their everyday needs and they find no reason to go there when they can find what they need at different locations which has taken a terrible toll on the businesses located in the downtown area.
Fenn, Summer. Personal interview. 24 Mar. 2009.
In my interview with Summer Fenn, Event Sales Manager for Jillian’s Billiards Club, she implied that Jillian’s is a family restaurant where families can come to have fun and enjoy games and parents can even enjoy a drink if they would like. She supports her claim by stating that “Your fun is our business” and that they offer food, drinks, and a playing headquarters with plenty of fun things to enjoy which is a great way for you to bond with your family and friends. Her purpose was to stress that this is a family restaurant where you do not have to be twenty-one to enter and that a group of college kids can come in and enjoy food along with a game of bowling or pool. Her audience was the people who are looking for a cool place to sit down and enjoy some fun games and food without all the “hustle and bustle” of other game places.
This interview will help my project because it is a place for college age students to go and have fun without the worry of getting in trouble if they are not twenty-one and this is a great place to go if you have people in your group who are over twenty-one and would like to drink.
Gibbs, Tara. Personal interview. 19 Mar. 2009.
In my interview with Tara Gibbs, a hair dresser from Beaux Cheav located in downtown Evansville, she claimed that business for her has been great and that downtown seems to be a very convenient location for most people. She supported her claim by stating that many of her clients work in the downtown area and it is very easy for them to schedule an appointment with her and that they love the atmosphere of the salon that is in the basement of the Curtis building. Her purpose was that if you offer your customers a relaxing and enjoyable experience, they will keep coming back, and that is just what Beaux Cheav does with its “free complimentary drinks that include soft drinks, coffee, wine and even beer.” She wants to get across to people that what they experience at her location is what every person needs in order to relax and have a great time.
This interview will help me because it is a business that offers great service and also has a little clothing store that offers very awesome styles of clothing, purses, jewelry, and belts that will draw the college age students in.
Jeannie. Personal interview. 24 Mar. 2009.
In my interview with Jeannie, the owner of Jeannie’s Gelato in downtown Evansville, she asserts that business for her is “not good at all and that a new stadium downtown would tremendously help her restaurant to prosper.” She supports her position by stating that she has been in business downtown for three years and that the new stadium would be located across the street from her restaurant and that this could be the best opportunity for her to really make some great business. Her purpose is to share her low fat ice cream and delicious sandwiches, wraps, and homemade soups and salads with the rest of Evansville so they can experience this mouth-watering taste. Jeannie hopes to give customers a great treat that is healthier for their body than the ice cream that you would get from any other restaurant and she offers many flavors to satisfy every craving.
This interview will really help my research because I can use her restaurant as a location that not many people have visited and pursued them to go and enjoy all the wonderful treats she has to offer at very reasonable prices.
Morris, Joe. “Redevelopment Reinvigorates Downtown Evansville.” Business Images:
Southwest Indiana 21 Apr. 2008. 25 Mar. 2009
In Joe Morris’s article “Redevelopment Reinvigorates Downtown Evansville” from Business Images: Southern Indiana, he claims that residential development, more people working downtown, more entertainment options, and improved transportation have improved business in the downtown location. He supports his claim by stating that “residential development has brought people to participate and enjoy businesses and activities that are offered close to home and this has improved the economic standings of businesses downtown.” His purpose is to prove that with a little work and renovation more activities and business can really improve the downtown location. He is writing to the city of Evansville to prove that business can be improved downtown with just a little work and determination to improve the slumping economy.
This article will help my project because it talks about the growing number of residential developments which has drawn larger crowds of people to downtown and they do much of their business close to home because it is more convenient.
Smith, Becky. Personal interview. 24 Mar. 2009.
In my interview with Becky Smith, an employee from Piece of Cake in downtown Evansville, she claimed that business for them as been very well and they receive a lot of customers who just walk by and want to taste their cake of the day. She supports her claim by talking about customers who stop in who have never heard of their business before and want to taste the treats they have to offer and love it and keep coming back for more. Her purpose was to share their many different treats that they have to offer and explain that they have a cake of the day that people can stop by and enjoy a slice of or even take an entire cake home to the family. She wants to get more customers in to experience their wonderful treats and even consider them for “big events that they may need a cake for like a wedding or graduation party.”
This interview will help me because she talked about return customers who come regularly because they enjoy the service that they have to offer and this influenced me to share this information with other people who are always looking for great customer service.
Walker, Andrea. Personal interview. 24 Mar. 2009.
In my interview with Andrea Walker, the photographer and owner of Walker Studio, he asserts that his business is located in the prime location for business and in the perfect location for great photographs. He supports this claim by showing me samples of his work and how the busy streets of downtown Evansville make for great portraits with the river front and the old, antique buildings. His purpose is to provide customers with many different locations for photography not just limiting their choices to downtown, but he is also willing to travel to their homes or different areas of interest. Walker Studio can provide business to any person looking to “capture moments you will cherish for years.”
This interview will help my project because it has allowed me to see how businesses can prosper in downtown Evansville even when the economy is in the position it is if the owner is willing to work to make a living and do the best he can for his customers.
Proposal
Downtown Evansville
After having attended job training in downtown Evansville for an entire week and having to find my way around downtown and places to eat for lunch, I was drawn to the thought that downtown has some very interesting businesses. I chose to take this on for my Public Sphere Day project because I want to make more people aware of what downtown is and how enjoyable it can be to walk around and see all there is to offer. I myself had not experienced what downtown had to offer and I have lived in Evansville my entire life. I usually stayed away from downtown because I did not know my way around and all the one way streets really scared me. I believe that people need to be more informed about downtown and be willing to visit different businesses and restaurants.
After doing some research on Evansville’s downtown, I formulated some questions about this topic that interested me. After walking the streets of downtown I was amazed to see the number of businesses I had never heard of. I walked into several locations to learn more about their background and what they had to offer before I came to the conclusion that downtown had many great restaurants and shops that nobody uses. This brought up the question of why people do not use these businesses. After several interviews I was informed that the roadways around downtown are often times too hard and confusing for people to use which affects their business. The people who stated that business is very well for them are located in high traffic areas and are easy to find. This raised an area of interest for me that the city needs to change the one way streets so that navigation around downtown can become much easier. It is a shame that people do not want to travel downtown because they do not like the roads that they have to travel. Another area of interest is the parking situation. It is hard for visitors to find parking so they can enjoy walking down the riverfront or down the streets to see what there is to offer.
With these areas of interest I found that the best group for me to join would be the marketing club at USI. Not only is this a major I am considering to study, but it is a great club to be involved with when I am trying to persuade people to go and experience what downtown has to offer. I want to make everyone aware of what there is to do and experience downtown. I plan to advertise some of my favorite locations to visit when I am downtown such as Jeannie’s Gelato that is a low fat ice cream shop located downtown.
I believe that the best way for me to get my information and findings across would be through a brochure. In the brochure I can list several businesses downtown that most people have never heard of and try to persuade them to visit these locations. In these brochures I can include a map and directions that will get visitors right to the location without the fear of driving downtown. Another idea that I have is to display flyers around USI informing students of cool and interesting businesses and restaurants for them to visit downtown. I also hope to distribute some sort of coupon or free treat to the people who visit my table on Public Sphere Day. This would be a great way to get people to venture downtown and see what they have to offer. I am also trying to get a business to donate a free meal or free hair cut that I can raffle off on Public Sphere Day. This would be another great way to draw business downtown. I will make flyers to hang around USI informing students about the raffle that will take place during Public Sphere Day. I believe that this will help my project because people are drawn to free giveaways and gifts.
After having attended job training in downtown Evansville for an entire week and having to find my way around downtown and places to eat for lunch, I was drawn to the thought that downtown has some very interesting businesses. I chose to take this on for my Public Sphere Day project because I want to make more people aware of what downtown is and how enjoyable it can be to walk around and see all there is to offer. I myself had not experienced what downtown had to offer and I have lived in Evansville my entire life. I usually stayed away from downtown because I did not know my way around and all the one way streets really scared me. I believe that people need to be more informed about downtown and be willing to visit different businesses and restaurants.
After doing some research on Evansville’s downtown, I formulated some questions about this topic that interested me. After walking the streets of downtown I was amazed to see the number of businesses I had never heard of. I walked into several locations to learn more about their background and what they had to offer before I came to the conclusion that downtown had many great restaurants and shops that nobody uses. This brought up the question of why people do not use these businesses. After several interviews I was informed that the roadways around downtown are often times too hard and confusing for people to use which affects their business. The people who stated that business is very well for them are located in high traffic areas and are easy to find. This raised an area of interest for me that the city needs to change the one way streets so that navigation around downtown can become much easier. It is a shame that people do not want to travel downtown because they do not like the roads that they have to travel. Another area of interest is the parking situation. It is hard for visitors to find parking so they can enjoy walking down the riverfront or down the streets to see what there is to offer.
With these areas of interest I found that the best group for me to join would be the marketing club at USI. Not only is this a major I am considering to study, but it is a great club to be involved with when I am trying to persuade people to go and experience what downtown has to offer. I want to make everyone aware of what there is to do and experience downtown. I plan to advertise some of my favorite locations to visit when I am downtown such as Jeannie’s Gelato that is a low fat ice cream shop located downtown.
I believe that the best way for me to get my information and findings across would be through a brochure. In the brochure I can list several businesses downtown that most people have never heard of and try to persuade them to visit these locations. In these brochures I can include a map and directions that will get visitors right to the location without the fear of driving downtown. Another idea that I have is to display flyers around USI informing students of cool and interesting businesses and restaurants for them to visit downtown. I also hope to distribute some sort of coupon or free treat to the people who visit my table on Public Sphere Day. This would be a great way to get people to venture downtown and see what they have to offer. I am also trying to get a business to donate a free meal or free hair cut that I can raffle off on Public Sphere Day. This would be another great way to draw business downtown. I will make flyers to hang around USI informing students about the raffle that will take place during Public Sphere Day. I believe that this will help my project because people are drawn to free giveaways and gifts.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Brochure
This is the brochure that I handed out on public sphere day! I liked it because it was bright and had great places for people to visit when they went downtown!
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