Bars and restaurants along, and near, Hamilton’s Riverfront Plaza, are looking to attract customers with their Christmas in July. Pinball Garage, which started its Christmas in July festivities a couple of weeks ago, often celebrates with Christmas toys in some of their prize game machines, and they’ve decked the halls, or rather machines.
“We’ve done it here every year because of tradition, but anything that grabs people’s attentions and gets them to visit us in July is a big help,” said Brad Baker, owner of Pinball Garage and All8Up, both on North Third Street.
“July is so quiet,” said Ann Marie Cilley, owner of The Causal Pint Hamilton on Riverfront Plaza when it’s not a RiversEdge concert night or the monthly Hamilton Flea. “We’re trying to create great reasons for people to come downtown. It gives people something a little bit different to keep them in Hamilton, get them to Marcum Park and maybe enjoy the splash pad, and things like that, while still doing something a little different.”
At the Casual Pint, its weekly Wednesday game night is will be Christmas in July-themed triva. On Saturday, they’ll have a Christmas in July Pop Up shop.
Neighboring Municpal Brew Works, which is on the backside of the 20 High St. building, will have Christmas in July Singo, and Tano Bistro will have a stocking-stuffer raffle, where people drop names into the stocking and on July 31, names will be drawn for giveaways, like gift cards, specialty glassware and Tano’s pancakes and syrup blend.
“This industry can be tough often, but it’s also a really entertaining one,” said Tyler McCleary, general manager at Tano Bistro, at the corner of Riverfront Plaza and Dayton Street in Hamilton. “So when we have a chance to do something fun and different, we like to do so for both or guests and our staff. But we also jump at any opportunity to collaborate with our neighbors.”
Municipal Brew Works co-owner Jim Goodman asked those around this area of the downtown what they’re doing for Christmas in July, so he could share what others are doing around town.
“We really hadn’t planned on doing anything before he reached out, but since he and those around us were going in on creating this Christmas in July atmosphere, we were happy to jump in too,” said McCleary. “It kind of adds to the ‘Hamilton Experience’ as a whole when we do things together.”
Goodman said in addition to their special Singo night (Bingo with songs), they’ll tap Elf Juice, which is a peppermint porter typically released around Christmastime.
“It’s a fun chance to do things with other businesses downtown,” he said. “Working together, like that, with all the other businesses, it’s just brings more people downtown so we can all flourish whenever we concentrate our efforts like that.”
Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dan Bates said it’s always great when businesses collaborate.
“It adds strength to everyone,” he said. “It’s collaborative an very Hamilton.”
The next slowdown month for the bar and restaurant industry is usually in January, and Cilley said maybe they’ll consider a Summer Vacation in January theme.
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