A new monthly event in downtown Greensboro is bringing crowds to South Elm Street, as city leaders and business owners look for ways to rebuild foot traffic and support struggling small businesses.
The “First Saturday Stroll,” hosted by Downtown Greensboro Incorporated, officially launched April 4, closing part of Elm Street to vehicles and replacing traffic with people, music and activity.
Earlier in the day, a DJ played for visitors as they walked the block, with live music set to continue later into the evening alongside local vendors, games and family-friendly activities.
For Greensboro resident Mart Grinton, it was a reason to spend the day downtown with his family.
“We love downtown,” Grinton said. “We have lost some amazing staples in Greensboro. But doing things like this, bringing families together, I think this is a good way to rebound and bounce back.”
Downtown leaders say attracting families like Grinton’s is key.
“Anytime there’s economic uncertainty, the first people to suffer are small businesses,” said Rob Overman, interim executive director of Downtown Greensboro Incorporated. “If you look at the sales receipts and the profit margins from the last couple of years, it really is getting tough for folks.”
Overman said the First Saturday Stroll is part of a broader effort to reverse that trend.
“We’ll try anything,” he said. “What can we do to help them bridge that gap? Because we really do need folks to come down more than ever.”
For businesses like Find Your Flow Yoga, that kind of interaction is critical.
“Just being out here engaging with people in conversation — that’s what really draws people in,” said Danielle Crabtree, a yoga instructor at the studio. “That’s how we pull people in and the community continues to grow.”
Still, Crabtree said challenges remain.
“A lot of our community is struggling with the parking issue right now. Unfortunately, that’s out of our control,” she said. “But what we can do is keep our doors open…we’re doing things such as First Fridays, First Saturdays to get the word out to bring people back in.”
Even with those challenges, some business owners are choosing to invest in downtown Greensboro.
J’Mihyia Whitsett and her wife, Paris Whitsett, are preparing to expand Marjae’s Wine Bar from Midtown to Elm Street later this summer.
“We’re looking to bring culture and community,” Whitsett said. “I do like that downtown Greensboro is trying to bring a sense of community. Everybody’s just coming together, and it just feels like a family reunion.”
Whitsett said events like the First Saturday Stroll help introduce new businesses to potential customers and build that sense of connection.
Downtown Greensboro Incorporated said the goal is to make the event a consistent draw, giving people a reason to return and support local businesses beyond a single afternoon.
Whether that momentum continues, leaders say, will depend on whether visitors keep coming back.
