During the biggest shopping time of the year, when the malls are full—even in a down economy—the K Street Mall is empty, except for the homeless, as this article from the Bee reports.
One looks for leadership, and with a new mayor perhaps it has arrived. Hope springs eternal, even with the K Street Mall.
An excerpt.
“As Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" played from the speakers above downtown Sacramento's outdoor ice rink Sunday morning, the K Street Mall scene sang another song.
“The rain-soaked rink was empty. Hardly a storefront was open along the two blocks closest to the Downtown Plaza. And the homeless and nearly homeless outnumbered the shoppers.
"It's dead," said Alan DeMena, who ventured downtown from Antelope on Sunday morning with his wife and son to check out the scene and have lunch. "It's amazing. A few days before Christmas and there's nothing here."
"Nothing" isn't exactly true. More people were shopping at Westfield's Downtown Plaza.
“The city of Sacramento has struggled for years to give the traffic-free stretch of K Street between Downtown Plaza and the Convention Center more economic and social pop.
“There has been limited success at restaurants closer to the Convention Center. But the 700 and 800 blocks – home to absent storefronts and gaping holes in the ground – were empty Sunday.”
