A while back, I wrote in this column lightly complaining about
how communication sometimes isn’t clear in Gilroy about civic
gatherings.
A while back, I wrote in this column lightly complaining about how communication sometimes isn’t clear in Gilroy about civic gatherings. I referenced not knowing what the Memorial Day parade route was, and how I’d signed up for a city class, the location of which was impossible to determine. These were things that were “common sense” to old-time Gilroyans, but not intuitive to newer residents.
It struck me recently that the Outlets, similarly, need some explanation. There are four pods of shops straddling Leavesley Road, but it’s hard to figure out what shops are where. There doesn’t seem to be any theme behind how they’re organized (other than one area where there are three kids’ stores: Children’s Place, Carter’s and Tommy Kids). It’d be great if all shoe stores were in one area, menswear in another, kitchen goods in another, etc. It’s too late now that the stores have already populated randomly – but what about using some kind of marker to designate which pod a particular store is in?
I ask this because recently someone was trying to tell our family where a particular Outlet store was … and all the stores she mentioned that were near it were unfamiliar to us. It’s hard to use a store as a landmark when it’s unknown. My husband had the brilliant idea of erecting four towering signs each with a Gilroy symbol on it, perhaps something agricultural, so that you could use those as markers. For instance, you could tell someone, “Oh, you want the Skechers store? That’s under the Garlic sign” or “Ann Taylor is on the Red Bell Pepper side.”
These signs could be beautifully carved and hoisted atop a tall pole so they’d be visible from the freeway. Maybe without text (although text is always helpful!) … sort of like the old pub signs from England that only give the name visually, like the Black Swan or the Red Lion.
Speaking of being lost, the other day I was walking on Hanna Street and someone pulled up next to me in a car. “Which way is the library?” she asked, unrolling her window. “I’ve been driving up and down.” I had to smile: she’d been passing where the library was, now a construction zone with new rebar thrusting to the sky. I gave her directions to the temporary library on Monterey.
I have to give credit where it’s due: the walls surrounding the library construction are beautifully painted, and the little windows at differing levels so one can watch the bulldozing no matter what one’s height are a wonderful, thoughtful addition. But … there’s nothing on the wall that says, “This used to be a library, and will be one in the future, and if you want to borrow books, head on down to Monterey and turn left.” Seems like another one of those situations where people assume everyone already knows that-but at least one person didn’t.
Now, don’t get lost when searching for your Halloween costume. Gilroy’s lucky enough to have a shop devoted to nothing but. What’s better, to spend money at a business that comes into town once a year, rents a storefront for a few months and then disappears, or to support a business that stalwartly feeds money into the local economy, renting on Monterey for years?
Costume Trunk owner Debbie McCowan says that her prices are “about the same” as at one of those Halloween uberstores, and points out that since she buys in bulk year-round her prices can even be lower on things like accessories. She says if you’re sick of cheap polyester costumes, you can rent something extraordinary, rather than buying: “You can rent a $300 costume for $40.” She specializes in plus sizes, and her website offers coupons for both renting and buying (www.costumetrunkofgilroy.com).
I went to a party recently where the hostess had outfitted both herself and her daughter in rented princess gowns from the Costume Trunk (and she had rented a bounce house from Dulceria Del Sol on First Street: what a good local-economy supporter!), and I note that the Casa de Fruta Renaissance Festival may require a little fun peasantry gear.
Finally, I have one last, important direction to give. Head north on Santa Teresa, turn right on Welburn, park at #1099 and head for the backyard. Do this tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 1) anytime between 7:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Why? It’s the Shangri-La of yard sales for those who have young kids or are expecting. More than 50 women from the group Las Madres of Gilroy are selling their gently-used maternity, layette and children’s items, including clothes and toys. A portion of each sale funds Las Madres activities such as “adopting” needy families during the holidays by providing gifts and toys.
Erika Mailman is the author of several historical novels and teaches writing through mediabistro.com.
