On Wednesday, the Rogers City Main Street/Downtown Development Authority met to discuss establishing a social district in and around downtown, news staff writer Steve Schulwitz reported Thursday.

A social district allows customers who purchase an alcoholic beverage from a licensed bar or restaurant located within the social district to consume it in public. People can also take their drinks into other small businesses, as long as the businesses do not sell food or drinks or an owner disallows it.

Social districts were legalized in Michigan to help businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic when many businesses couldn’t offer indoor dining.

With the addition of a social district in Rogers City comes new possibilities for the city.

For one, a social district attracts people to downtown and promotes movement, getting people to visit the various shops and restaurants.

With more people and more movement, revenue is sure to trickle in.

Having those plans in place now — with the goal of having the district up and running in the summer — offers Rogers City businesses time to brainstorm the best ways to promote themselves and how they might be able to use the social district to their advantage.

Restaurants and bars that sell alcoholic beverages can start crafting new ideas to entice visitors and locals to stop in their businesses at the beginning of their downtown visit. Also, drink specials and continuously updating drink menus can also bring people back for more.

Social districts encourage movement, which can be good for retail shops as well. Once people are allowed to travel the streets with their beverages, they will take those opportunities to check out local stores.

Another possibility the social district brings is the opportunity to hold more events and larger gatherings.

Schulwitz reported that Alpena DDA Execute Director Anne Gentry has been helping Rogers City form their social district.

Gentry said Alpena has seen great success through its social district as it lures people downtown and has opened the door for more downtown events and larger crowds for them.

With an established social district, Rogers City could see the same success, and we hope that they do.

There are plenty of other opportunities that Rogers City might see with the addition of its social district. Should the plan continue to move ahead, it is only just the beginning of a future filled with more opportunities and hopefully revenue for the city and its businesses.