Downtown stores will stay open ‘late’ every Thursday evening.

Starting this week, downtown Bainbridge gets to stay up later.

In a move designed to change the way islanders shop, 17 more merchants will keep the lights on until 8 p.m. every Thursday.

“We are excited about it,” said Cris Beattie, executive director of the Bainbridge Island Downtown Association. “The shop people are chomping at the bit. We probably have 80 percent of our merchants on board, meaning those who are on board with everything we do. We consider this a groundswell movement.”

BIDA has worked for 18 months to bring the plan to fruition and hopes are high that, with time, island residents will rethink their shopping habits.

Some trailblazing merchants who already stay open past 5 p.m. include Eagle Harbor Book Co., Paper Products and Adam & Eve Clothing Company. After a few fits and starts, the marketing end of the project is ready to roll.

“We needed money – cash in hand – to go forward with our ads, tent cards in restaurants and window cling stickers for the participating shops,” Beattie said. “We’re really hoping to do a flag for each store to put out each Thursday night.”

To date, 17 shops have agreed to stay open late on Thursdays and more are coming, Beattie said, adding it took a lot of meetings to get this far.

“The first hurdle was what day to choose, Thursday or Friday. But Friday is ‘date night,’” she said. “Then it was maybe once a month. It went from once a month to ‘let’s do it every week and continue it.’

“A lot of the merchants were in shock. It was definitely an educational process. We’re not a mall and we don’t want to be a mall. We’re here to serve (the community) better. Thursday night is the new Friday.”

She added, “Hopefully, we can continue this through the year. We really hope the island community partakes of this.”

Shopkeepers who already stay open past 5 p.m. share that view. Eagle Harbor Book Co. was one of the first shops to blaze the late-night trail back in 1989, when it stayed open until 9 p.m. on Thursdays. The staff is happy that other merchants are following suit.

“It’s going to help all of downtown Winslow,” said Mary Gleysteen, who heads the events at Eagle Harbor. “We’ve always had events on Thursday nights, and that does draw people in the store.”

Shopkeepers who are expanding their hours for the first time need to stick with it, she said.

“It just takes a long time to get it fixed in people’s minds.”

Just be consistent, she added, and remember there’s strength in numbers.

Alyse McConnell of Paper Products concurred. She took over the shop in March 2003 and within a few months was staying open until 7 p.m.

“I commuted until I moved out to Bainbridge,” McConnell said. “Only T&C grocery store and the hardware store were open. It was slow in the beginning. It took awhile before we were breaking even.”

McConnell said she is happy other shops are joining the late brigade.

“It’s important for a downtown to have all the things we need to live our lives, within reason,” she said. “I think this is going to be great.”

Beattie said merchants now are talking about new, special promotions come fall.

“The goal is to definitely sustain this year-round,” she said. “We want it to be a community event, where people come to listen to music, shop and eat. It’s their special one night of the week to get out and socialize.

“We’re trying to get in on the front end of all of that (downtown condos and apartments). It’s the Bainbridge Island way: We’re homegrown, hometown.”

Beattie credits association member and commercial writer John Koval with spearheading this project.

“I turned into a catalyst,” Koval said. “All we needed was someone to run things and organize. Each merchant pays $50 a month, which goes into a general advertising fund. The names will be listed in the ads and they will get a window cling.

“We’re not going to grumble if anyone stays open late and chooses not to pay. We just do what we can. We rode the coattails of the shops that came before us.”

Koval’s wife, Kit Hutchin, opened Churchmouse Yarns & Teas five years ago this September. He acknowledges that retail is a hard business to be in and increasing store hours can be challenging, especially for owner-operators.

“You’re on your feet helping people all the time….a lot of places have staffing problems,” he said. “At the same time, this is a driving need (and) it also serves the community. Shopping here saves gas, saves people from going to Silverdale. Parking’s a little bit easier. And merchants will have some extra sales. It will be good for the restaurants, too.

“The hope is turning this into a community thing.”

Koval credits new shops like Adam & Eve with enthusiastically supporting late-night shopping and what it will do for downtown Bainbridge.

Robin Callahan opened Adam & Eve Clothing Company last November and offered late-night shopping from the beginning.

“We’re busy all the time. Nighttime is great,” she said. “If you let people come in at their convenience, business can only be better. It takes a little while for it to catch on.”

Merchants new to staying open late shouldn’t worry, Callahan said.

“If you have a list of your customers, it doesn’t take but a few moments to give them a call or drop them a flyer. It works.”

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’Til you drop

Stores that will be open until 8 p.m. beginning Thursday include: Adam & Eve Clothing Company; Bad Blanche; Blinx; Calico Cat; Churchmouse Yarns & Teas; Eagle Harbor Book Co. ; Esther’s Fabrics; Fox Paw; Gilbert Thomas Jewelry; Grace & Co. Paperie; Heart; Magnolia’s on Madison; Noir & Blanc; Paper Products; Paraffine; Skookum; and The Traveler.