The FDP -- Who We Are

With the recent creation of the #shopFranklin Facebook group, many people have been asking who the Franklin Downtown Partnership is and what we do. Here's a short explanation, taken from the About Us section of this website. 

Franklin Downtown Partnership, Inc. is a 501(c)3 organization operated “exclusively” for charitable and education purposes. The Partnership sees Franklin’s downtown as the heart of the community: a center of civic and cultural activities, government services, commercial businesses, and diversified housing. All of the Partnership’s activities are designed to foster greater vitality in the downtown commercial district and to serve as a vehicle for public policy discourse.

Mission:

• To stimulate economic development in downtown in order to create a positive impact throughout the area

• To be a pro-active organization that brings residents, business owners and community leaders together, encourages cooperation and builds leadership for the purpose of revitalizing downtown Franklin

Goals:

• Have a Voice

• Serve as a Resource

• Stay Financially Sound and Healthy 

Please find out more about us by perusing this website, finding us on Facebook (Facebook.com/franklindowntownpartnership.org), following us on Twitter (@FranklinDowntwn), or join us at our next General Meeting on Thursday, April 2. 

You can find our 2014 FDP Brochure here.

Small Business Marketing Co-op Story in Milford Daily News

The Milford Daily News ran the following story in today's paper about the Small Business Marketing Co-op meeting last month. The group's next meeting will be Wednesday, March 11, at 7 p.m. at The Cake Bar, 17 East Central Street.

By Matt Tota
Daily News Staff 
Posted Mar. 2, 2015 at 12:01 AM 

FRANKLIN - Seeing they face the same struggles, a growing group of small business owners are sharing marketing efforts to help each other increase sales.

At least 20 businesses brainstormed ideas during the first meeting of a small business co-op Feb. 18 at the Cake Bar. Bakery owner Tracie Turinese, who has spearheaded the effort along with co-owner Angie McMillan, said small businesses in Franklin struggle to compete with larger chains in the area. 

“We have to think of reasons to incentivize coming to our businesses over the chains,” Turinese said last week.

The Franklin Downtown Partnership, a consortium of businesses including the Cake Bar, has provided a way for its members to create buzz through popular seasonal events.

Also, the partnership has frequently lobbied for the business community within the town government, most recently influencing a developer’s decision to exclude drive-through restaurants from his proposal for an Emmons Street property.

But Turinese said the partnership has not been able to produce the “short-term” goals that lead to immediate, concrete change.

For one, the co-op is looking at pooling advertising revenue, as some businesses do not have extra money for marketing.

The co-op talked about a “scavenger hunt” model where patrons are rewarded with special prizes for going around to different businesses searching for clues and broached the idea of bringing back trade shows to Franklin as a way to showcase what businesses have to offer.

More than anything, social media will play an important role in the co-op’s plans, Turinese said.

Downtown businesses are particularly concerned about the construction slated to start in the area this year. Businesses already grapple with the lack of parking, Turinese said. And the area is not pedestrian-friendly.

“We need to create a reason for people to come here because they’re not naturally walking downtown,” she said.

The co-op is not only made up of businesses in the downtown.

Jen Garcia, owner of Elizabeth Bagels on West Central Street, left the meeting excited about the co-op, although she had some hesitations going in.

“I was almost intimidated about showing up,” she said last week. “I thought people would be defensive or competitive. But instead we were a group, a community: We had the same problems and questions.”

The co-op will next meet at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, at the Cake Bar, 17 East Central St.

- See more at: http://www.milforddailynews.com/article/20150302/NEWS/sthash.eMMzsjsA.dpuf#sthash.C41bRyQV.dpuf

Matt Tota can be reached at 508-634-7521 or mtota@wickedlocal.com.

Member Announcements: Dean College Opportunities Fair

LOOKING TO FILL SUMMER OR FALL INTERNSHIPS OR EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES?

 

You are cordially invited to participate in the Dean College Opportunities Fair, taking place on March 25, 2015, from 12pm – 2pm.  This event is a wonderful opportunity to fill your summer and/or fall 2015 internships or employment opportunities with eager and qualified candidates. 

 

You will be provided with a 6’ table and cover and can bring whatever materials you feel are appropriate to promote your positions and organization.  There is no fee to participate.  

 

To register for this event, please complete the attached form.*  You may either fax it to the attention of Tracy Nowak at 508-541-1549 or scan and email it to tnowak@dean.edu.

 

In addition, if you haven’t done so already, please register for your employer account on our DEAN CareerLink system.  Our employer partners have the ability to establish a free account in our system and post opportunities viewable by our students 24/7.  This will allow students to view your opportunities prior to, and beyond the event on March 25.  To create an account, follow this link: https://dean-csm.symplicity.com/employers/

 

Space for your organization will be reserved upon completion of your registration form.  If you have any questions about registration or the event itself, please contact the Office of Career Planning & Internships at 508-541-1536.  We look forward to your participation.

 

 

Tracy Nowak
Advisor/Assistant Director of Career Planning & Internships 
Dean College
99 Main Street
Franklin, MA 02038
508-541-1536

*Note - please call the Office of Career Planning at Dean for a registration form.

Need Tax Prep? FDP Members Can Help

Have you filed your taxes yet? It's just 7 short weeks until the April 15 filing deadline. If you need a professional tax preparer, the Franklin Downtown Partnership has several member firms that can help:

Auerr, Zajac & Associates, LLP

29 Dean Avenue

508-528-1305, www.auerr-zajaccpa.com

H & R Block

7 E. Central Street

508-528-6012, www.hrblock.com

Liberty Tax Service

13 Main Street, Suite 11A

508-520-6900, www.libertytax.com

Pavento, Ratcliffe, Renzi & Co., LLC

1000 Franklin Village Drive, Suite 208

508-553-3091, www.prrllc.net

Ten Key, Inc.

31 Hayward St., Suite 2A-205

508-528-2122, www.tenkeyinc.com

Member Announcements: MACC, Franklin Art Association

MACC Hosts 'Business During Hours' Event Today! $15 for FDP Members

Like us on Facebook     Follow us on Twitter     Follow our Linkedin     Subscribe to our YouTube                  Click here to register for this event

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Seascape Artist Ted Charron here March 4

The Franklin Art Association will meet Wednesday, March 4th, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Franklin Senior Center, 10 Daniel McCahill Street.

Refreshments and socialization will begin at 6:30. The program will feature a demonstration presented by New England plein air land and seascape artist Ted Charron.

Meeting are free and opened to the public. For more information, please visit our web site at www.franklinart.org or face book www.facebook..com/FranklinArtAssoc.

Member Announcements: Women's Success Network, The Estate

Shared by Kerri at Making Whoopie... -- Women's Success Network Event on March 4

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From The Estate at Franklin - a way to relax this afternoon!

Share this:     Join us for a major stress reduction session. Daily life got you feeling stressed? Kiss it all goodbye with an afternoon of manicures, massages and strawberry margaritas — compliments of The Estate at Franklin. You can also network with your friends and colleagues and enjoy heart healthy chocolates, hors d'oeuvres and refreshments. It's a great opportunity to relax, unwind and discover what our exceptional community is all about. So take a deep breath, exhale, and call (508) 520-1150 by February 18 for reservations. Monday, February 23 • 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Space is limited, so call (508) 520-1150 today.

The Estate at Franklin Assisted Living  |  Alzheimer's & Dementia Care 656 King Street  | Franklin, MA 02038 brookdale.com