WICKED WEEKEND 2010 TO BE HELD October 28th -31st

WICKED WEEKEND 2010 TO BE HELD October 28th -31st

September 29th, 2010
(Wilton Manors, FL) - Wilton Manors Main Street, Inc., in conjunction with an Events Council consisting of representatives from all nine of the bars along Wilton Drive, is delighted to announce an expanded series of Halloween events this year. Beginning Thursday, October 28th through Sunday, October 31st, the bars along Wilton Drive will be hosting various events each day under the unified nautical theme of “FantaSea Island.”

“We’re anticipating this year to be larger and better than ever,” said Doug Blevins, President of Wilton Manors Main Street, Inc.  “However, we also want to make the public aware of some changes, in particular that Wilton Drive will be open to traffic this year. We are working closely with the city and the bars on the drive to make certain that the events are both safe and successful.”

Anticipating the largest crowd on Saturday night, additional parking with on-site security will be provided at Fort Lauderdale High School, Equality Park, the city parking lot on Dixie Highway, the parking lot by City Hall and behind the Sun Trust Bank, with complimentary shuttle service to and from the drive.

More convenience facilities and security to assist the City of Wilton Manors will be provided, co-sponsored by Wilton Manors Main Street, Inc. and all participating bar members, Rosie’s Bar & Grill, New Moon, Matty’s on the Drive, The Manor, Bill’s, Alibi, Boom, Sidelines Sports Bar and Tropics.

Wilton Manors Main Street is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. For more information on Wilton Manors Main Street, visit www.wiltonmanorsmainstreet.org or contact Doug Blevins.

We use Copy This for our Printing Needs

While we at Wilton Manors Main Street try to stick to businesses on Wilton Drive to perform our work, the lucky coincidence is that Copy This excellent, and directly across the street.

Bruce Bogen, the owner of Copy This has been extremely flexible in assisting us in all of our printing needs.   He is the owner of the company, and also a prior Business Of The Quarter award winner.  This was with good reason.  Bruce and his staff of helpful workers will perform full color and black and white copying needs for you as well as more traditional printing on many different formats, and work with you to achieve the same standards of excellence that we have grown to expect over the time that we have been there.

Our flyers and the banners that we use are both made by Copy This.  We have used them to produce large format vinyl banners, standard flyers on copier paper for our membership applications, and have produced business cards for Wilton Manors Main Street.   All of which have been produced quickly and expertly by his staff.

The shop is at
2157 Wilton Drive
Wilton Manors, Fl, 33305

You can reach Bruce at his shop at 954-563-7181 during normal business hours.

Crema D'Roma Restaurant, New to Wilton Manors

Are you hungry?   Would you like to try some Italian Specialties, prepared authentically with the highest quality ingredients?  Don't feel like hopping a flight to Tuscany?

At the Grand Opening, Wilton Manors Main Street was lucky enough to have this food and more from Crema D'Roma.  If you haven't made it to the restaurant, we highly recommend that you visit one of our friends and neighbors.

Rom Marchisotto the owner of Crema D'Roma, will be happy to treat you to some amazing food.  There are some lighter fare such as salads, premium coffees and fresh Gelati for dessert if you are looking for something quite different.   Rom is shown here with Tom Tabor from Wilton Manors Main Street, and Mary Nolan from Gables Residential. 

If Rom suggests something special, go with it, his choice in ingredients are impeccable and his creations are amazing!

Crema D'Roma
2150 Wilton Drive
Wilton Manors, FL, 33305
954-916-7242

Wilton Drive Pedestrian Tragedy, Victims Family Speaks Out

One of the reasons why Wilton Manors Main Street is here is to help those who live, work and play here have a safer city.

There was an accident that happened that killed Louie Sarris a while back, and we all paused to think what can be done to make this sort of thing much less likely in the future.  We all agreed that Wilton Drive should be slowed down from the then 35MPH to the current 30MPH speed limit.  Whether that saved lives, we can only hope.

We further believe that the Two Lane Initiative will slow traffic further to make Wilton Manors a place to Drive To, not Drive Through.  When completed, this will have the effect of making the Drive a safer place for those of us who get out of our cars and walk to enjoy our city.

I invite you to pause and think about Louie Sarris who died in that event.  May he be the last.  Here is a video featuring his family remembering him.

Main Street Grand Opening and Membership Drive

This is a copy of an email sent to our friends and supporters.  It also is currently on the Wilton Manors Main Street Page at www.wiltonmanorsmainstreet.org.  We invite you to come by for a visit and find out more!

Dear Friends, Neighbors and Business Owners:

On Thursday, September 16th, Wilton Manors Main Street, Inc. held the official grand opening of our new office at 2164 Wilton Drive in the Gables Wilton Park Development.

More than 200 guests enjoyed a fun-filled evening complete with entertainment, fine food, wine and the cool air conditioning of our refreshing new office. The new Main Street office is the latest addition to the Gables Wilton Park commercial and retail space. The office is being graciously sponsored by our premiere corporate sponsor, the Gables Corporation. The stunning interior design, furnishings, artwork and accessories are compliments of premiere sponsor, Island City Traders of Wilton Drive and their parent company Retro Interiors. Crema D' Roma provided scrumptious appetizers and the Naked Grape offered complimentary fine wines. Panache Style, formerly Petals Panache owner Bobby Kyser provided gorgeous flower arrangements with exceptional artistic flair.  A huge thank you to all of our sponsors.

Main Street's new office is just another example of the community support and enthusiasm that is being generated by the hard work of the Main Street Board and volunteers.  As a non-profit organization, Wilton Manors Main Street is a member of the national Main Street organization. Like so many other cities, Main Street is the vital town center and the hub of arts, entertainment, dining and culture. Wilton Drive is experiencing a renaissance and Main Street is working to make sure the town center continues to improve. Main Street has introduced a Two Lane Safety, Parking and Beautification initiative and the city is moving forward with a task force to study and find ways to implement the proposed initiative.

The grand opening of our new office also kicks off our 2011 MEMBERSHIP DRIVE. Our Main Street organization is a member based organization and as such, relies on donations, fundraisers, grants and membership dues to maintain operations and programs so that we can give back to the community. WMMS needs you! We hope that you will take a look at our membership brochure on the home page of our website where you can join on-line by clicking on the "Donate Now" link or print it off and mail to our office. Donations and membership dollars are also tax deductible and we provide you with a letter of thanks indicating your support and amount.

Wilton Manors Main Street is your community service organization and we are here to improve and promote Wilton Drive and the Arts and Entertainment district. Our office is always open to the public and we invite you to come by and visit. We have a large screen LED Television that was graciously donated by Wilton Manors resident, Doug Candler. The screen constantly displays information and provides passers by with a glimpse of what WMMS is about. We welcome your thoughts, ideas, input and concerns and we are always looking for volunteers to help with future events and help staff our beautiful new office. We look forward to seeing you on the Drive, so please become a member and stop by and say hello.

Please visit our website at www.wiltonmanorsmainstreet.org and join us on facebook -Wilton Manors Main Street. Photos of our Grand Opening are also available on these sites.

Sincerely,

Doug Blevins
President
Wilton Manors Main Street, Inc

Before and After Pictures of our New Office

Recently I have received some pictures of our new offices.  Before and after we fitted the place out.

This particular picture is just as you stepped in the front door, before anything was done.   We were fortunate to get this prime space from the Gables Residential and we had our work cut out for us!

Here is the same view, but after we had finished with it.  The furnishings are by Island City Traders.  The painting crew was led by Doug Mc Clave.  Doug had done some excellent and professional work.  The space now has a smooth coat of paint over the Cement ceilings and the exposed pipes are covered neatly with a pleasant cream color.

This was truly a community effort for an office to serve the community.

We Thank Island City Traders

Wilton Manors Main Street wants to extend a warm Thank You to Island City Traders. 

You can find Island City Traders' Showroom at

2450 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, Fl, 33305
Phone 954-537-5330

The Secretary Desk and the furnishings that you see in the picture are all supplied by Island City Traders.  The artwork on the wall is from them.  The picture on the easel is that of our artists' representation of Wilton Drive after the Two Lane Initiative is complete. 

Island City Traders' has supplied Wilton Manors Main Street with the front office furnishings so that we may complete our work helping the City grow and present a cutting edge look for all who come to visit.

This Conference table is also supplied by Island City Traders.  It is glass and chrome and surrounded by these five chairs, that are wrapped in butter soft white leather.  The sixth chair is at the secretary desk.

For larger groups and more casual meetings, Island City Traders has this Sectional Sofa and Coffee Table grouping.  The quality of the furnishings and the cutting edge style is apparent when you see them first hand.



To contact Island City Traders, you can find them on the web at
   http://www.islandcitytraders.com,
On Facebook at this link to their group
  http://www.facebook.com/IslandCityTraders,
Or at their showroom where you can see all they have to offer first hand at:
  2450 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, Fl, 33305
  Phone 954-537-5330

Market Bazaar at the Shoppes of Wilton Manors today

If you are looking for something interesting to do today, one suggestion is to head over to the Drive.  There's always something going on there, but today you can rub shoulders with your neighbors while looking for treasures and knick knacks.  Usually there are some food vendors and you can get some fresh produce - their bell peppers are usually amazing.  Every month it seems to grow a little larger and since the weather is cooling and is pleasant today, the crowd will be bigger still.

Today from 9am until 2pm at the Shoppes of Wilton Manors, there will be the monthly Market Bazaar flea market.  This is headed by Wilton Manors Main Street business of the quarter recipient Nikki and Steve Rose from their iconic coffee shop Java Boys.  If you make it there, stop in and say hi to Nikki and Steve, they'll treat you like family and let them know we sent you.  Their Facebook page has some pictures from the shop, so if you can't manage to get in for some Joe and a bit of a snack, you can see the place here.

This is a monthly scheduled event that has all sorts of new and used items, and has rapidly become one of the things that locals look forward to.   It is a great way to meet your neighbors, get some coffee or visit some of the other shops at the center, and be a part of your community.

The address is 2030 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors, FL, 33305

Wilton Manors Main Street Ribbon Cutting Pictures Indoors

We are fortunate to have a lot of supporters at Wilton Manors Main Street.  There are people from all walks of life, and in this picture you can see some of them.

Visible are Mr and Mrs Joseph Gallegos.  Joseph or "Mr G" as he is known to everyone in the City of Wilton Manors government, is the City Manager of Wilton Manors.

We can also see M.E. DePalma of DePalma Enterprises, toward the back of the frame.  She's standing there in a pink dress having a discussion.

Both people I count myself fortunate as knowing and having been able to work with on various levels both within Wilton Manors Main Street and outside.  The City is much richer having them here.

This is a view of the office during the party.  It is so full of people, that the furnishings from Island City Traders are not visible.  I was able to take this shot by holding the camera well overhead so that you can see the crowd.

In this picture are many people who should be mentioned, and quite a few that I will miss.  In the foreground are Brett Nein, Project Manager and Board Member for Wilton Manors Main Street, Mrs and Mrs Joseph Gallegos from the City of Wilton Manors, and quite a few of our friends and supporters.

Here is a Writer's Eye view of the goings on.  Way in the back is David Kovac and toward the front is Skip Mackey of DePalma Enterprises.

Krishan Manners, Wilton Manors Main Street's Marketing Director is in the crowd speaking with Celeste Ellich who is a local Realtor.   Our best wishes extend toward both.

A very successful event! 

Main Street's Ribbon Cutting Event and Pictures

Last night, Wilton Manors Main Street had a Ribbon Cutting Event for the new offices at 2164 Wilton Drive.  We were able to welcome our friends and neighbors and thank our benefactors who all made this possible.

The food was wonderful, and supplied by the new restaurant, Crema d'Roma at 2150 Wilton Drive, at the corner of Wilton Drive and NE 21st Ct.

It was a chance to show off our furnishings from Island City Traders, at 2450 Wilton Drive.

It was a chance to see everyone there in a relaxed setting who are committed to making the City a better place for All of us to live in.

At the Ribbon Cutting were
David Kovacs
Diane Cline Vice President of Wilton Manors Main Street
Florida State Representative Gwyndolen Clarke-Reed
Joseph Gallegos Wilton Manors City Manager
Fr. John Joseph Reid of New Divine Mercy Church
Tom Tabor Wilton Manors Main Street Board Member and head of the Two Lane Initiative Committee

Here we are all celebrating the official opening of our new offices.

You are welcome to stop by and have a talk with us.  We're looking for volunteers and members to help us make Wilton Manors and the Drive a better place to live, work and play!

Pictures At A Commission - Alibi Business of the Quarter

Here is a higher quality picture of the Business of the Quarter award ceremony with the City Commission.

In the picture from Right to Left are

In the front row
Vice Mayor Justin Flippen,
Owners of The Alibi Jackson Padgett and Mark Negrete
Mayor of the City of Wilton Manors Gary Resnick

In the back row
City Commissioner Tom Green
City Commissioner Scott Newton
City Commissioner Ted Galatis

Jackson Padgett and Mark Negrete with the City Commission

Backup Picture Courtesy of Mike D'Oliveria and The Pelican, his picture came out much better than ours.  The Pelican is a great news source for local Wilton Manors (And Adjacent Areas), we highly recommend them as an entertaining weekly reader.

Business of the Quarter Presented to The Alibi

Last night at the City Commission meeting, Sept. 14, 2010, Wilton Manors Main Street President Doug Blevins had the distinct pleasure of presenting the owners of The Alibi, Jackson Padgett and Mark Negrete the Business of the Quarter Award.

Pictured here from Left to Right are:
Jackson Padgett, co-owner of The Alibi,
Mark Negrete, co-owner of The Alibi,
and Doug Blevins, Wilton Manors Main Street President.

Pictured here holding the award are


Jackson Padgett, co-owner of The Alibi,
Mark Negrete, co-owner of The Alibi,
Doug Blevins, Wilton Manors Main Street President,
and Kevin Knorr, Wilton Manors Main Street Board Member.

On receiving the award, Jackson Padgett spoke on how he felt about owning such a local icon.  Mr Padgett said that he will be continuing the tradition of Public Service by being involved in the same activities and public spirited programs that have always been synonymous with the name Alibi in the future. 

We of Wilton Manors Main Street Salute the Business of the Quarter, The Alibi's owners Jackson Padgett and Mark Negrete

Honoring Jackson and Mark of Alibi as Business of the Quarter

Tonight we invite you to join us at the Commission Meeting where we will present a plaque honoring Jackson Padgett and Mark Negrete as the Wilton Manors Main Street Business of the Quarter.  Jackson and Mark are the new owners of the Alibi on Wilton Drive and Bill's Filling Station, just across the street.

Recently, the restaurant at Alibi won top honors as the Best Burger in Broward as chosen by the Sun-Sentinel Newspaper in Fort Lauderdale.  If you have ever gone to the restaurant you experienced first hand the quality of the food there, and now Alibi is drawing people from outside of their traditional markets to experience their food and the excitement that Wilton Manors and the Drive have to offer.  You can read the Sun-Sentinel article here.

The presentation will be at the Commission Chambers in City Hall, tonight at 7PM.  The address is 2020 Wilton Drive, at Hagen Park.

Wilton Drive Tiger II Grant Initiative Status

At the meeting last week, we learned that the Tiger II grant initiative has been submitted to the Federal Government. 

While this doesn't mean that we have gotten the grant, it does mean that we will get a chance to proceed to the next level.   The Two Lane initiative is a great plan with something for all, and with your support we will be able to have the kind of Wilton Drive that we all want.  The grant will allow us to complete the Two Lane Initiative faster and include more features that we all can use.

Wilton Manors Main Street is working toward turning the current raceway down the middle of town in the Wilton Drive to a pedestrian friendly oasis that has adequate parking for the businesses that will thrive there.  It won't happen overnight, but we feel that we've got a strong plan that will produce the kind of place we all can be proud of.

Welcome to our New Office

Welcome to our new office space.  

2164 Wilton Drive,

Wilton Manors, FL, 33305

You will find someone there "during Business hours" during the week and by appointment.  Just up the corner from Crema d'Roma in the ground floor of the Gables Wilton Manors apartment complex.

If you stop in you can find out about the status of our plans and can talk to us about how we can help improve Wilton Manors.  We also want to hear about your thoughts on how things are.  We are here to help.  We are your friends and neighbors.  We want to be your partners in a better Wilton Manors.

South Florida East Coast Corridor Study on 9-22

Coming soon, on September 22nd at 330-530pm or from 6-8pm, there will be a meeting at Fort Lauderdale's Holiday Park.  The meeting will discuss the second phase of the Proposed Florida East Coast Mass Transit line.

We at Wilton Manors Main Street hope to see you there.  This will be discussing the proposal to get a rapid transit line where the people live - on the FEC tracks near Dixie Highway.  The proposal will pass through Wilton Manors and we hope to have an station near Five Points at the East end of our Central Business District, anchoring Wilton Drive.  If completed, you will have light rail access to Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, and Downtown Miami all from your back yard. 

It is your chance to have your feelings and thoughts heard!

Holiday Park at the Social Center off of Sunrise Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. 

You can read more and see the other locations in the picture below.  Click to see it larger.