Occoquan: A town battles back

Handmade jewelry, Christmas collectibles, home decorations, art work and a nice bottle of wine are often among the first items to go when a family is worrying about making ends meet.

"That's the crux. Everything we sell in Occoquan is a discretionary income purchase," said town Vice Mayor Ken Brunsvold. "That's one of the first things you cut when you are cutting your budget."

The merchants in the historic little town on the banks of the Occoquan River have felt the pinch of the poor economy over the last year. A few businesses have closed. Losing any more of them is the last thing town officials want.

"What we are seeing is that the restaurants seem to be doing OK but the retail merchants are obviously strug-gling," Brunsvold said.

"Our retail merchants are the beating heart of the town of Occoquan," he said. "The retail merchants and the restaurants are what makes us Occoquan and what keeps us from becoming another bedroom community."

Working together, town leaders and its business community have been coming up with ways to ward off the gloom and bring more people into the town.

"We are trying to do a special event at least once a month. We are doing all kinds of things to bring people in the town," said JoAnn Barney, president of the Occoquan Merchants Association and owner of Tastefully Yours on Mill Street.

"We can't make people buy things but we can do our best to increase the foot traffic in the town," Brunsvold said.

The newest and reoccurring effort was the creation of a farmers market that opened in April and will continue every Saturday until mid-November from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. under the Va. 123 bridge at the end of Mill Street.

There was an Occoquan River Festival in May, a Duck Splash in June, a day of historic trolley tours earlier this month as well as recycling days, art walks, food and school supply drives, special sales, coupon offers and give-aways.

"We are trying to give people a reason to spend what money they have to spend in Occoquan," Barney said.

The town's third annual 5K race is coming up in October. The start of the race this year is being pushed back to the afternoon in an effort to bring the racers and their supporters into the town when the businesses are open in the hope they will linger in town before and after the race, Brunsvold said.

And of course, there are the town's spring and fall craft shows that brings thousands of shoppers into the town.

A few changes have been made this year to ensure that the town's merchants have a better opportunity to make a sale, Brunsvold said.

Town merchants can now set up their own tents in front of their stores and beside those of the out-of-town vendors. These tents are open in the back so shoppers can continue on into the stores.

"This in effect moves the front of the store out to where the people are," Brunsvold said.

"Anecdotally, holding the events seems to be working," Brunsvold said. "There are a lot more people in the town who would otherwise not be there."

Barney agreed. "We are seeing more people in the town," she said.

"I think we are weathering the economy as well as anywhere else," said LaVerne Carson, president of the Business Guild of Occoquan.

The advantage that Occoquan merchants have over strip mall businesses is that shoppers tend to enjoy the experi-ence of shopping in its historic small town atmosphere.

"There is something sweet and sentimental about Occoquan," said Carson, who has owned the Golden Goose on Mill Street for about 30 years.

Carson believes customers are aware of the difficulties faced by small businesses and they don't want to lose them.

"I think customers are beginning to appreciate the small merchants. They are getting a soft spot for them," Carson said. "They ask me how I am doing and if I am going to be all right.

"If they have money to spend, I hope they think about whom it really matters to -- it's us and it can make the difference in determining if we stay or if we go."

Staff writer Aileen Streng can be reached at 703-878-8010.