Sip, Shop, Savor, Enjoy | A Word from our President

Sip, Shop, Savor, Enjoy

A Word from our President – By Dixie Hall, President of Mission Hills BID and Owner of DixiePops

As tradition would have it, August is one of San Diego’s hottest months – which if July is any indication, should prove true once again. This means it’s a great time for ice cream, pizza, and beer – a summer trifecta ideally prepared someplace other than in a hot home kitchen. Have you been to Pizza e Birra on India Street, or Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria on Goldfinch Street? Perhaps you’ve dined-in or ordered take-out pizza from Cardellino on Goldfinch? Try one, try them all.

When it comes to beer on tap in Mission Hills I’d venture to say the choices are endless. Plus there is a robust offering at Falcon Liquor, Hills Wine and Spirits, Mission Hills Liquor and bar menus at any of our fine eating establishments. And don’t forget Thorn Brewing Company Mission Hills as a stop worth making for a glass or a keg. Finish it off with a stop by one of our neighborhood ice cream shoppes from Gelato Vero to Mr. Trustee to DixiePops – would be silly of me not to mention my own place of business.

August is one of the rare months where there is literally no major holiday or even odd ball made up days to celebrate. So we decided to create our own August holiday tradition by holding a “follower” drive to increase traffic to our Instagram page @MissionHillsSD. After all, in the world of social media, one can never have too many followers.

We thought a fun way to achieve our goal of attracting 500 new followers would be if residents and visitors (you) posted your favorite Mission Hills centric pictures, or pictures of your favorite Mission Hills business to your Instagram; with a little note as to why it is a favorite, then tag @MissionHillsSD so we can then repost. Easy peasy to do, doesn’t cost a dime and will be much appreciated by all. Your posts will also serve as a reminder of all that Mission Hills has to offer. I’ve come to realize Mission Hills is a much larger community than I originally thought and there are many little “hidden gems” throughout – whether it be a place to eat or a place to chill and watch the birds fly by.

One of the many opportunities for our business community has been Concerts in the Park held on Fridays at Pioneer Park. The summer concert series, offered by the Mission Hills Town Council, provides a unique opportunity for Mission Hills businesses to give back to the residential community through concert sponsorships of this beloved Mission Hills tradition. Each summer neighbors and friends bring a blanket and picnic basket, sing and dance, and catch up on neighborhood happenings. Thanks to Hailey and Merritte Powell, owners of La Puerta Mission Hills for being this year’s Concerts in the Park Title Sponsor, and to Chad Dykes, owner of Mission Hills Fabric Care Center and Karen Hutchins, owner of Firefly Wellness Day Spa for their continuing support of the summer concerts. It really is a fun family event and a great way to unwind at the end of the work week.

Planning ahead, the BID invites you spend the evening of October 12 with us for the 10th Annual Taste of Mission Hills from 5:00 until 9:00, with Old Town Trolleys transporting tasters from West Lewis Street to Fort Stockton Drive, Goldfinch Street, West Washington Street, Reynard Way and India Street for what many say is the best taste in the San Diego region. Tickets will be available beginning in September.

As president of our Business Improvement District, I would like to share two of the more helpful ways in which the City supports small businesses – and if you would like more information regarding these programs, either click on the links provided for your reference, or reach out to Susan McNeil Schreyer at MissionHillsBID@gmail.com.

One of the very special privileges the City of San Diego grants business within a BID is affordable access to the Public Right-of- Way. The purpose of the PROW is to optimize the growth and income of retail businesses and restaurants by allowing and encouraging the use of portions of the Public-Right-Of-Way between the curb and the adjacent property line. The PROW program promotes an environment that encourages pedestrian traffic and beautification of the streetscape. PROW programs are only allowed within the City of San Diego’s designated Business Improvement Districts. Read more about PROWs at missionhillsbid.com/prow/.

Another Small Business Enhancement Program administered by the City and supported by BIDs is the Storefront Improvement Program (SIP). The Storefront Improvement Program revitalizes building facades visible to customers, neighboring merchants and residents. The City of San Diego provides free professional design assistance and financial incentives to small business owners who wish to make a creative change to and improve the curb appeal of their storefronts.  Read more about the SIP program at https://www.sandiego.gov/economic-development/business/starting/improvement. FY23 SIP funding availability will be announced soon.

We are thankful to every owner who has chosen to locate their business in Mission Hills. To those who patronize our local businesses, we thank you too. Please invite your family and friends to join you in Mission Hills to sip, shop, savor and enjoy during these incredibly beautiful summer days and evenings.