Blossom Hill/Almaden - San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of

2013 BUSINESS WALK: Blossom Hill Road/Almaden Expressway
Suburban corridors: Business is getting better!
Signage, public safety, homelessness, lighting and road issues top list of challenges
A large stretch of two commercial
corridors in San Jose’s City Council
District 9 along Blossom Hill Road
and the Almaden Expressway
served as the location for the San
Jose Silicon Valley Chamber’s recent teers was comprised of representatives from presenting sponsor
business walk, held Nov. 21.
Pacific Gas & Electric Company and
The event was launched by District participating sponsors Bridge Bank,
9 San Jose City Councilmember
San Jose Water Company, Santa
Donald Rocha. Fifty volunteers then Clara Valley Transportation Authorvisited 120 businesses during the
ity, San Jose Downtown Association,
afternoon hours, bringing to a total Groundwerx, the City of San Jose and
of 400 businesses that the SJSV
SCORE among other chamber
Chamber has surveyed over the past members.
12 months as part of its Regional
The survey provides the opportunity
Economic Development Initiative.
to not only show that many local
Fourteen teams canvassed
small commercial centers and
strip malls made up of retail
and service businesses located
near the Westfield Oakridge
Mall. Previous business walks
were held in Willow Glen/San
Carlos corridor and in San
Jose’s downtown arts and
entertainment district.
The group of chamber volunSan Jose Silicon Valley Chamber
nonprofit organizations that serve
businesses are listening to the needs
of San Jose's main street businesses,
but to also connect businesses with
resources that can help solve some
of the identified issues and bring
new resources to bear on others.
Teams of three and four volunteers
asked businesses three simple questions:
• How is business?
• What do you like about
doing business here?
• What could be done to
improve business in the area?
Business Activity Looking Up
Volunteers were very happy to hear
a majority of the commercial locations surveyed reported business
activity was good and getting better
in the last half of 2013. A quarter of
those interviewed reported business
as the same and just 13 percent said
that their customer activity was on
the decline. A solid 61 percent said
conditions were getting better.
2013 BUSINESS WALK
What’s Next?
The SJSV Chamber will
be conducting meetings with stakeholders,
including the City of
San Jose and others to
find means to address
issues raised during
this business walk.
In addition, two
business walks are
planned: one each in
the spring and fall of
2014.
District 9 San Jose City Councilmember Donald Rocha launched the business walk.
Other positive reports included
owners and managers pleased with
where their businesses are located
and satisfaction with their customer
base. Numerous businesspeople
said the Blossom Hill/Almaden
Expressway area was “busy,” a
Presenting Sponsor
“central location,” with “excellent
traffic” and “excellent location near
the large mall.”
Many businesses surveyed were
longtime tenants of the various
commercial centers or the area itself—some having been established
in business for as long as 20 to 50
years.
Another major concern centered on
poor lighting in parking lot areas
and store and auto burglaries that
have been occurring regularly.
One business owner noted that “the
shopping center had provided security for a few months and when it
stopped, the trouble started again.”
Several micro issues were identified
in separate areas, such as allegedly
bad traffic light synchronization,
future zoning changes and delivery
or parking areas behind businesses.
Chamber volunteers also heard that
businesses in the Blossom Hill/
Almaden Expressway area are
“working together for each other” by
making local referrals and that
There seems to be confusion, as well,
“word of mouth” created “many
about who should be counted on to
repeat customers.”
help in preventing crime: the police
or the commercial center’s security.
We also heard that the locale is
We heard that police do not always
desirable because of surrounding
housing development that makes it show up quickly when called.
family-friendly and an easy place to Attractive Nuisances
do business.
The same qualities of the area that
PG&E’s Amanda Egan, center, helped survey businesses,
along with APR’s Bill Harrington, left, and Bridge Bank’s
Casey Nichols.
San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber
Safety & Security Issues
The No. 1 issue that came up most
during the dialogue with those
surveyed was public safety. Business
people said they were concerned
about the safety of their customers,
employees and property—especially
in the evening hours.
bring in customers also attract
people who are living on the
streets—or in this case along
wooded areas of a nearby creek.
Businesses reported numerous
homeless people live in the area, and
although they have been “chased
out,” they return.
Blossom Hill Road/Almaden Expressway
Participating Stakeholders
Presenting Sponsor
Pacific Gas & Electric
Company
Participating Sponsors
Bridge Bank
City of San Jose
Groundwerx
San Jose Downtown
Association
San Jose Water Company
Santa Clara County Water District
SCORE
Valley Transportation
Authority
Volunteers included Meriwest’s Melody Criner, USF’s Helen Valine and Marriott’s Noelle Boesenberg.
Aggressive dogs associated with
homeless camps were also indentified as a problem.
better, what would you change?”
Several times, the answer was “We
like the way things are!”
Nevertheless, this business walk
As well, the business people noted
gathered the following list suggesthat petition gatherers are setting up
tions for improving conditions:
in front of commercial areas and are
too aggressive in their activity.
• Customer Attraction
Improved grassroots
How To Improve Business Conditions
marketing and more
One of the more interesting quesfamily-oriented attractions like
tions about business conditions that
fairs, functions and fundraisers.
one group employed was: “If you
Additional signage and ability in
could wave a wand to make business
some commercial centers to put
out A-frame board signs.
• Several businesses also expressed
the need for simplifying impending city sign ordinances. Other
suggestions included facelifts for
retail shops and shopping center
rebranding.
• Improved Infrastructure
and Security
Making improvements in public
safety areas would help keep
customers coming back.
Better lighting is needed in
parking lots and improving
traffic flow along the major
roadways is needed. This could
include more turn lanes and
better sequencing of traffic lights.
Increased presence of security
officers—either city police or paid
guards are suggested, along with
better response time from city
police.
The SJSV Chamber will work on and
bring these issues to stakeholders’
attention in the coming months.
Teams of three and four volunteers surveyed 120 businesses during the event.
San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber
2013 BUSINESS WALK: Blossom Hill Road/Almaden Expressway
Businesses Contacted During November 21 Business Walk
Aaron Brothers
Dollar Tree Stores
Larry's Hallmark Shop
Salon Centric
ABR Engineers
Dorene's Wide Shoes
La-Z-Boy
School of Rock San Jose
Alain Pinel Realtors
Dunn-Edwards Paints
Leslie’s Swimming Pool
Schroeder's
Alliance Credit Union
Edenvale Dentral Group
Supplies
Scrambl'z
Almaden Arco
Elegant Lace
Lifeway Christian Stores
Sherwin-Williams
Almaden Chiropractic
Enterprise Rent-a-Car
Lighthouse Project
Simple Beverage
Almaden Donuts
Erik's Deli Café
Lucky Stars Tattoo
Smoker-Friendly Smoke
Almaden Hills United
Family Cobbler
Luxury Nails Spa
Shop
Methodist Church
Fidelity National Title
Mahalo Hawaiian
Social Vocational Services
Amila Insurance Services
Fish Window Cleaning
Barbeque
Splendor Nails & Spa
Asiana Spa
Forever Diamonds
Mancini's Sleepworld
Springleaf
Australian Tan
and More
Massage Envy Spa
Sprint
Auto Sound
Future Hair & Nails
Mathnasium
Star One Credit Union
AutoZone
Galileo Preschool
Mattress Discounters
Subway
Max Muscle
Summer Winds Nursery
Back to Back Chiropractic Genoji Sushi
Susan's Place
Baja Fresh
Get n Go Market & Liquor Michael's Jewelry
Bay Dental
Glow Hydroponics
Mobile
Target
Be Lovely Hair Design
Golden Foot Spa
Muia's Tailor & Dry Clean
The Burger Pit
Big 5 Sporting Goods
Greenest Cleaners 4 You
Murison's Flooring
The Fish Market
Blossom Hill Car Wash
Halona Spa
Nail Expo
The Little Gym of San Jose
Boston Market
Hancock Fabrics
New Nails
Togo's
Britannia Arms
Hidden Talent Art Studio
Nu Smile Dental
Tracie's Rainbow
Burrito Factory
Hong's Beauty Salon
Office Max
UPS Store
California Community
Irma A Francisco, DDS
Papa Murphy's Pizza
Verizon Wireless
Opportunities
Jack in the Box
Paradise Valley Spas
Wells Fargo
C'est Si Bon Bakery
Jiffy Lube
Peet's Coffee & Tea
Whole Foods
Classic Kitchens
Jim Nelson & Son
Perfect 10 Nail Spa
Wine Rack
Crossroads Trading
Photography
Petfood Express
Woodpecker's Furniture
Company
JM William Accountancy
Pier 1
Yogurt Delite
CueTopia Billiard Café
Kalinka
Play it Again Sports
Dash Nails & Spa
Kohl's
Princeton Veterinary
Denny's
La Victoria Tacqueria
Clinic
Divine Appointment
Lamps Plus
Robertsville Carwash
San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber