Crossroads commission considers ongoing magazine advertising, branding and 2026 events

The commission heard a proposal for ongoing advertising in Westergrove's Neighbors magazine and discussed several 2026 event ideas while debating district branding.

The Chair reported meeting with representatives of Westergrove's Neighbors magazine, which proposed a continuous half-page business-district ad. The Chair said the initial price presented to the district was $1,342 per month and that the magazine indicated flexibility to negotiate a district rate.

Members asked the Chair to circulate details and to include the advertising option in next year’s budget discussion if the commission wishes to proceed. The Chair also noted that member businesses could help fund advertising if the commission chose a shared model.

Commissioners discussed 2026 event ideas—movie nights, charity concerts, a World Cup viewing event and tie-ins to the citywide July Fourth celebration—and confirmed two retail dates: Free Comic Book Day on May 2 and Independent Bookstore Day on April 25. Members debated using adjacent parking lots for event space and noted weather and street-closure logistics.

A lengthy branding conversation followed. Some members said the district’s official name (the Crossroads Business District) is not well known locally and proposed using nicknames such as "Little Webster" for marketing; others asked a member to research the ordinance that established the district’s official name and whether a doing-business-as (DBA) nickname would be permissible.

The commission asked a member to prepare advertising options for discussion at the next meeting and to return with details the commission can review before making a budget decision.