Struggling Economy Blues

***Again, class criteria is forcing me to ignore the subject of my blog!

Merrimack Street

It's Friday night and the lounge at Cobblestones of Lowell is strangely quiet except for the sound of The Doors coming out of the vintage looking jute box. As the wait staff mopes around the restaurant, trying to remain positive, and keep up with side work, they all are contemplating the same thing. Where is everybody? Normally, the frantic atmosphere is almost unbearable on a weekend night, but as a waiter, it's a wonderful feeling. It means money in the bank. But not lately. Local businesses have been faced with the dreadful economic recession.

Waitress (Megan Burdt) coping with economic stress...

Downtown Lowell is laced with historic mill buildings, various eateries, and a handful of multicultural people. During the week, high school students roam the streets and take over the downtown scene. Thursday through Friday nights, college students dance down the cobblestones paved roads and in and out of the Irish pubs. Weekdays, businessmen can be seen lugging briefcases and rapidly talking on their Blackberries. But most of all, downtown is a haven for small, local businesses. It's what brings diversity to the downtown area. But during an economic crisis, it’s a rather intimidating circumstance for many of the neighboring businesses.

"The economy has been an issue main street and across the country. We've been affected. People are spending frugally so it's affecting retail as well as restaurants," says entrepreneur Matthew Descoteaux.

Franky and Matthew Descoteaux, owners of Mambo Grill, Monkey's and Humanity are coping well with the struggling times. Putting the interests of their customers first has helped them to remain positive during this unfortunate time.

"We at Mambo Grill, Humanity, and Monkey's really tried to create innovative, strong businesses that focus on the customer, " says Descoteaux.

Clearly, they have a knack for running well established businesses. Having run three successful businesses in the downtown area, they have managed to form a monopoly of their own. Mambo Grill, the delicious and popular Mexican restaurant, Monkey's a trendy, new ice cream parlor, and Humanity, the stylish clothing store, all sit comfortably on Merrimack Street.

Mambo Grill

Another business in the area dealing with the economic blues has a bit of a seniority claim on the downtown vicinity. Cobblestones has been proudly located on Dutton Street for 15 years now, owned by entrepreneurs, Scott and Kathy Plath.

"Times have been tough to say the least," says Kelli Robarge, Cobblestones manager. "It's definitely slowed down, but we have our regulars to keep us afloat."

Clearly, customer appreciation is another aspect that has helped to keep the popular American cuisine establishment in order during the economic low.

Even with the faithful regulars, the usual frantic Friday and Saturday nights seem to be a distant memory down at the 'Stones. Before, the lounge and bar area would always be jammed packed and lively with customers. Groups would hover over tables waiting for the next available one to open up. The lobby would be full of families, couples, and businessmen, waiting for their turn to be escorted into the chic dining room. Now there’s rarely a wait, and the bustling bar is just not as lively and full as it used to be.

Finding a table at Mambo Grill during lunch hour used to be next to impossible Mondays through Fridays. Try to grab a quick burrito after class, and you'd find yourself battling with fellow students, nurses, businessman, professors, and any other patron that made their way down to the popular Mexican spot on their lunch break. Now, there isn't much of a fight to put up anymore for a table. The lunch rush has most definitely tamed down.

Cobblestones, as well as other restaurants, have been doing special promotions to help bring people in. One deal Cobblestones features is the "Hump Day Buffet," which consists of 12 items ranging from marsala to seafood, every Wednesday afternoon for $11.99. Another deal, "Great Plates," included 11 different restaurants in downtown such as La Boniche, Cobblestones, Athenian Corner, Centro, and many more. This took place during the last week of February and featured a fixed price menu where guests could get a three course meal for a reasonable price.

Cobblestones of Lowell

"We're taking the initiative to bring people in," says Robarge.

Above all, businesses are remaining positive. Downtown may be visited by many tourists and newcomers, but most of all; the faces are very familiar for many of the downtown establishments.

"We pride ourselves in excellent value, especially for the customers, and I think that's definitely understood by them," says Descoteaux. "When running a business you need to stay positive. Attitude is your first step towards success."

The downtown area may be a bit emptier than usual, but the festive places and people that keep it lively are still smiling. The attractions of downtown are not only the boisterous, college bars that line the streets, but also the unique businesses and people that help to keep downtown Lowell a destination spot even during an economic recession.

"In our opinion downtown is the best place to run a business in the area. It's very centrally located and definitely connected to the city," says Descoteaux.