With approval from the city of Wilmington in hand, businesses in the Brooklyn Arts District are gearing up for the city's first official social district, which organizers hope to make a weekly occurrence following an initial trial run.

Brooklyn Cafe owner Tara English, who helped spearhead the social district efforts, said on Thursday that she’s optimistic the social district will be expanded to every Saturday, following the trial period. 

“Ideally, we want it every Saturday,” she said, “and the plan is still to have it every Saturday, but we have to go through the six-month process of every other (Saturday) first.”

The first week of the trial social district is set to launch next weekend in the Brooklyn Arts District, following approval earlier this week by the Wilmington City Council. English, who led the social district efforts alongside Scott Wagner, owner of Goat and Compass, said local business owners have been working on the social district proposal for 13 months.

English said she believes the city of Wilmington is ready for a social district, and she expects to see economic benefits that ripple beyond the Brooklyn Arts District.

While business leaders in other emerging districts have expressed interest in the social district concept, the city had not received any other applications for a social district, as of Thursday, according to Amy Willis, the city’s communications manager.

Becoming Wilmington’s first social district puts pressure on the Brooklyn Arts District to succeed, English said.

“There is some pressure for sure,” she said. “All eyes are on us.”

Christina Haley, president and CEO of Wilmington Downtown Inc. (WDI), said she expects other areas to pursue the social district concept.

"I do expect that other areas might follow suit in the future," she said, "but for right now, this is a great opportunity for people to come experience something unique for our city, and visit this community, which is largely built off the backs of small business entrepreneurs."

Social districts allow people to buy an alcoholic drink at a participating establishment (not bring one from home) and consume it anywhere within a designated area. The social district proposal approved by the Wilmington City Council in a 5-2 vote on Tuesday would encompass 10 blocks along Fourth Street, along with a one-block section of Red Cross Street to provide access to The Eagle's Dare.

In February, the Brooklyn Arts District hosted a social district pilot program from noon to 5 p.m. on three Saturdays within the same footprint. The social district approved this week would run from noon to 5 p.m. on the first and third Saturday of each month for six months. 

An initial application from the Brooklyn Arts District Collective, a group of around 20 small business owners, proposed holding the social district every Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. 

Following pushback on the social district proposal, the city’s newly formed Social District Advisory Committee asked the business owners to consider holding the social district biweekly, deputy city manager Chad McEwen told council members on Tuesday.

“In the vein of compromise and getting a consistent recommendation, the collective was willing to change their request to the first and third Saturday, not every Saturday, for the period of six months to have a trial period to see how it was going to work on a more permanent basis,” he said.

After six months, the collective has asked the advisory committee to re-evaluate the social district and consider expanding its frequency to every Saturday, McEwen said.

As part of the six-month trial period, the city will take steps to address resident parking concerns experienced during the February pilot program. That includes providing signage directing social district visitors to public parking in the Skyline Center and Cape Fear Community College parking decks. The city has an option to prepay for parking in the parking decks, which WDI plans to help promote, Haley said. The city also plans to establish a loading zone in the 700 block of Fourth Street to allow space for residents to load and unload their vehicles, McEwen said. 

Several Brooklyn Arts District business owners turned out on Tuesday to voice their support for the social district and highlight the success of February’s pilot program. 

During the pilot program, approximately 8,000 people came through the Brooklyn Arts District, Wagner told council members on Tuesday.

“We’re not inventing the wheel here,” Wagner said. “There are 50 of these districts in North Carolina today, some in towns smaller than Wilmington, some in towns larger than Wilmington. We’re just asking you allow to adults to act like adults, that should they choose to partake in an adult beverage while walking through the neighborhood on a selected day in a selected timeframe, they be able to do that just at their pace.”

Alex White, owner of Pizzeria Don Luca, said he believes the social district could help boost tourism, development of vacant lots and improvements in the Brooklyn Arts District.

“We’re all on a tight margin, and when we get a couple big days … we have money to now do a mural, to improve our building, to make the Brooklyn Arts District better,” he said. “This is not about partying, it’s about progress.”

Several members of Bethesda Christian Life Church, located at 506 N. Fourth St., voiced opposition to the social district proposal, citing concerns about public intoxication and drinking leading to violence and other issues in the neighborhood.

The Wilmington City Council ultimately voted to approve the social district, with council members Salette Andrews and Kevin Spears voting in opposition. The council voted unanimously to waive a second reading of the item.

Before kicking off the social district on Oct. 4, English said business owners will meet to ensure all participating businesses have the signage, cups and labels needed to comply with the city’s social district regulations.

“There is some work that has to go into prepping us for next week,” she said, “but thankfully, most of us are already prepared, and it should not be a big deal for us to get ready.”

Business owners have already planned several events that coincide with the social district Saturdays, English said. They plan to put on a Day of the Dead festival on Nov. 1, she said, and a holiday-themed event is in the works for December.