Articles

Merchant Newsletter

~Get Involved

• Meetings
• Newsletters
• Listings

~Events & Opportunities

• Annual Event Calendar
• Upcoming Events & Street Closures
• Promotional Opportunities
  

~Association Business & News

• Gaslamp Resources Flyer
• Community Covenant of Responsible Hospitality Practices
• Designated Driver Programs
  

~Things to be Aware of

• Security Guards info 
• Emergency Merchant Info Form
• Trash & City Mandated Recycling
• Report Graffiti
• Parking Value Passes
• Scam Update
• Letter Of Agency/Trespassing Sticker

~Partners & Industry Agencies

• San Diego Convention Center
• Paradise in Progress
• Food & Beverage Association
• San Diego Gas & Electric
• San Diego Police Department
  
• San Diego Regional Enterprise Zones

~MEETINGS
Participate as a member of the Gaslamp Quarter Association . . .attend GQA meetings!
Find the committee meeting that is relevant to your interests and come join us. Members are welcome to nearly all meetings and regular attendace at Gaslamp Meetings is required to be eligible for a position on the Board of Directors. Committees & Schedule are posted online - LEARN MORE
 

~NEWSLETTERS
Make sure you are getting both of the email newsletters.
The Gaslamp UPDATE, a GQA Members only news service, and Gaslamp INSIDER, a fun "what's happening" newsletter, are our primary communication tools. . . Send me an email requesting your subscription for one or both! This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

~LISTINGS
Post or Update your venue information with us
We post our member businesses for FREE on Gaslamp.org, so make sure your listing is up-to-date with an accurate web link and recent logo. Double check your phone number and address. Add a tagline or store hours. Make the most of your listing with us!

ALSO We share several types of Maps on the website and street Kiosks. We like to have solid info for callers and convention planners looking to book everything from off-site events, group dining to large private parties - is your info complete? We are looking to have you confirm your preferred category and description, add your event coordinators contact info - and we want the capacity of each of your private rooms 

Member info Sheet / Restaurant version
 
Member info Sheet

 

~ANNUAL EVENT CALENDAR 2012
  Annual Special Events that happen each year, in and around the Gaslamp Quarter - Download our Annual Calendar 

 
~UPCOMING STREET CLOSURES & TRAFFIC ADVISORY

>Please see the traffic advisory for Route 163 on our Parking Page
>Find more information on the Quiet Zone construction www.quietzonesd.info

> Local Street impacts -  2012 update
Watch for storm drain and curb repairs throughout downtown in spring 2012. PIP

 

Pediatric Dentistry Association (approved)
Thursday, May 24, 2012 | 6:30pm – 9:30pm
5th Avenue: J to K Street
J Street: 4th to 6th Avenue
3,000 guests

Rock & Roll Marathon (approved)
Sunday, June 3, 2012 / Public Event
5 am-10:00am
J Street between 5th Ave and 8th Ave
5th Ave from J St to Market
Market St from 6th to Harbor Drive

Qualcomm (approved)
Thursday, June 28, 2012  | Private  Event
7-10pm  |  1,500 pax
5th Avenue L - J Street

~PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
 
~Gaslamp Website Advertising
Expand your brand inexpensively on our extremely popular website

Dinnerdate.com is doing their National launch in San Diego and needs restaurant partners to hold their events. They plan on buying up to 3,000 dinners for their events. For more information >>
http://www.gaslamplocal.com/documents/GQA-BIZ/Dinner.date.special.offer.pdf

 

~GASLAMP RESOURCES FLYER
A bulletin board flyer of Community resources GQA Merchant Resources
For example it has the number to call when street lights are out - help me report them!

Clean & Safe Services - These services are paid for by your property owner so feel free to call on them
Website:  www.sdcleanandsafe.org

Service Info Flyer

~COMMUNITY COVENANT OF RESPONSIBLE HOSPITALITY PRACTICES 
Learn More & Join your neighbors in a promise to protect our entertainment district.

~DESIGNATED DRIVER PROGRAMS IN SAN DIEGO
If you serve alcohol you should be associated with a program to assist your guests. Pick the one that works best for your clients!

A Ride Home  | http://www.aridehomesd.com
You and your car home safely. Info Form

BeMyDD  | http://www.bemydd.com
Offers a gift card option  - Now that is a thoughtful gift!

RADD |  http://www.radd.org
The entertainment Industry's voice for road safety
Learn more> Info Sheet & Sign-up form

Safe Ride Solutions  |  http://www.saferidesolutions.net
Nationwide driver service staffed by local law enforcement professionals

~SECURITY GUARD REGSTRATION AND TRAINING

A proprietary private security officer (PPSO) is an unarmed individual who is employed exclusively by one employer is likely to interact with the public while performing his or her duties. If you have  "security guards" or "Doormen" on your payroll, they are considered PPSO's. All PPSO's must register with the Department of Consumer Affairs. This includes 2 types of Background checks and registration fees. A PPSO is required to wear a distinctive uniform clearly identifying the individual as a security officer and keep their registration card on their person at all times (while working) along with their legal identification. Management should keep a copy of all of these PPSO registration cards in the office as well.

The new 2011 regulations finalize this registration regulation and will also require that PPSO's complete an initial training curriculum of 16 hours by July 1, 2011 with an additional 2 hours of annual continuing education each year thereafter. The law also requires employers to register their companies as well as maintain records regarding the employment of officers and their completion of training for no less than two years. If you hire an outside company to manage your security, they will handle all of this but you should keep tabs on it.

Bottom line . . .Your Business (unless you use a company to provide security services for you) & All of your Security Guards should be registered by now and they need to be formally trained by July 1, 2011. How they get trained and who pays for it are the variable elements. You can require them to pay for all of it themselves - esp new hires but if you have long term employees that you value, you could decide to pay for it. If you have a lot of locations, you could get approved to do the training yourself or hire a company to train them all at one time for you.

Visit the State website to learn more or download the forms!

~EMERGENCY CONTACT INFO
In the event of a National Disaster - The GQA has staff that is Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) Certified & we'll have special access to the district. If you would like to have your Emergency Contact info on file, GQA staff will have the ability to update you on the status of your property and/or business.  Get this form on file with us ASAP -Emergency Merchant Information Form



~TRASH & CITY MANDATED RECYCLING
The Gaslamp Quarter Association has collected some resources on trash service for commercial businesses
Daily Disposal Commerical Division webpage
Edco Disposal Commerical Division webpage - Special Gaslamp Flyer
Waste Management Commerical Division webpage - Special Gaslamp Flyer

Recycling is required by the City of San Diego - Every business needs to recycle or face fines. They key is simply sorting at the bins and making changes in your trash rooms to accommodate the sorted materials. When done correctly, recycling will actually save your venue money in reduced trash hauling.  We all know it is the right thing to do SO. . .LEARN MORE

Other ways of recycling include more than just daily waste - Check these resources on additional items
Flourescent lighting
Food Waste for Composting


~HOW TO REPORT GRAFFITI
Graffiti is more than a nuisance! It will subconsciously effect how safe our visitors feel >> So it is extremely important for all of us to get rid of it immediately and you really should report it so we can snag of few of these jerks.  When you find graffiti on your property snap a few photos and then remove it right away! You can report it to the San Diego Police Department quickly and easily with a phone call to 531-2000 or fin some specifics here > Graffiti_Information.pdf

See Graffiti on your neighbors place? - Go next door and ask them to do the right thing and clean it up!  They still won't do it? Report them>
http://www.sandiego.gov/graffiti/reporting.shtml


~ PARKING VALUE PASS
Take care of your valued employees! The 6th & K Parkade is offering a Value Pass that breaks all the rules for parking passes. This is a great deal. 

A) It deducts only $5 each time it is used (good for 12 hours)
B) You can Pre-load it with any value
C) it is good on Special Events and Game days - provided space is still available

Most importantly it is NOT a monthly pass and it doesn't get caught in the day vs. night rate trap
This is the best parking program I have ever seen in the Gaslamp and you should take advantage of this right away before they are all gone! - LEARN MORE 

~CHASE BUILDING
Discounted monthly parking rates at 707 Broadway - LEARN MORE

~SCAM SCAM SCAM

The Credit Card Transfer Scam - The most common scam these days is the email or phone calls from a company, supposedly in another country, looking to place a credit card deposit with a restaurant for a large group for an upcoming visit. They go on about how they will have their group dine with you for multiple or consecutive nights and get quite pushy about staff taking the deposit or lose the booking. The end result is once you have accepted the deposit they call back when another manager or staff person is on duty and literally beg you to transfer a portion of the deposit for them to a transportation company or something similar. They then deny the original credit card deposit charge and you get stuck for however much you transferred. They are super aggressive and they specifically try to work your staff by threatening to pull the booking, faking a panic and making multiple attempts at different times of the day.

This scam sometimes involves an operator assisted service for the hearing impaired or a TTY relay call. The use of a deaf relaying service may further conceal the true location of those perpetrating the scam. The details of the deal are usually solidified via email, and many times the victim will be asked to withdraw cash on a credit card for unusual “shipping arrangements”.

Every Better Business Bureau advises caution when dealing with customers unknown to you who place large and/or expensive orders over the phone and request to pay with a credit card. Before you ship, verify the card number, and learn as much as possible about the person you are doing business with. Familiarize yourself with the charge back policies of your credit card processor regarding phone orders.

A Dry Cleaning Scam . . .not only do they mail out the same copy of one receipt to hundreds of locations per day requesting reimbursement - They are now stopping by in person. Watch for a gentleman who claims his wife's jacket was ruined by one of your waiters, requesting significant reimbursement - He's quite persistent.  We suggest requiring staff to provide a manager’s business card with a note on the back with specifics to anyone who experiences a spill, so they can come back with some sort of proof of the incident. We know you don’t want to offend a real customer with a legit problem – so document everything!

Imposter Health Inspectors ! Be sure to tell your employees to ask for any type of inspector’s identification before allowing them into your facility.  County Health inspectors will have county-issued picture identification. If you receive a phone call from someone claiming that they are with the Department of Environmental Health asking for an appointment to give you a special code, please be advised that this is not the County Health Department. You may contact the county Health Dept at (619) 338-2222 if you would like to verify the information

Print me for your bulletin Board > Scam_Report

  
~ LETTER OF AGENCY/TRESPASSING STICKER

What is a Letter of Agency (LOA)?
This letter allows the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) to act as the agent for the owner for purposes of enforcing laws against any person(s) found on the private property without owners consent or without lawful purpose.

Why do I need an LOA on file with the SDPD for my private property?
If you're experiencing problems with transients, or other unwanted people, hanging around/sleeping on your private property this letter allows the Police Department to remove them in your absence.

Where can I get a Letter of Agency form?
We suggest that you fill one out online then print it out and sign it.  Submit the original copy to the Clean & Safe office at 1111 Sixth Avenue, Suite 101 San Diego, CA 92101. SDPD requires an original signature on the LOA. Once filled out and submitted, the Clean & Safe Program will automatically remind you every six month to update your LOA form LINK TO ONLINE FORM


 
~SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER
Printable 18 month calendar of upcoming Conventions - Calendar
Planning resource! Use this webpage to determine Convention daily schedules, breaks and meal plans  -Convention Resources



~PARADISE IN PROGRESS
 Got a question about how downtown construction projects or special events might affect your business?   - Click here



~FOOD & BEVERAGE ASSOCIATION 
Gaslamp Quarter Association members have a friend in the Food & Beverage Association. They help us keep up-to-date on potential laws governing our industry. There may be other qualified companies offering these services but the F&BA is a resepected industry partner known for offering reasonably priced training andfrequent classes.

Food Handlers Cards
Required by the County of San Diego for all employees that handle food

Manager's Certification Program
State requires each food facility to have at least one owner or employee certified in food safety.

Sexual Harassment Prevention Training
State requires businesses with 50 or more employees to certify all owners and managers every two years

Optional but Essential - Vigilant operators should require training in these areas.
Responsible Alcohol Beverage Service (RABS)
Door Host / Security Personnel Training

Learn More about the F&BA - CLICK HERE 

SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC
Upgrading your equipment for better energy efficiency? Consider SDG&E’s On-Bill Financing Program that offers eligible customers 0% financing for qualifying energy-efficient business improvements.

Chefs and food service professionals can sharpen their skills at SDG&E's no-cost seminars on energy-efficient cooking equipment, lighting, and food safety at the Food Service Demonstration Kitchen

Did you know that installing energy-efficient equipment usually takes less than two hours & that your business can remain open? Check out SDG&E’s Direct Install Program.

~SAN DIEGO POLICE DEPARTMENT
Our Community partners at SDPD Central Division go above & beyond to provide us with updates and participate in GQA Community meetings.
Key notices from them are posted here to keep you in the know.  Learn more about thier Crime Prevention and Personal Safety Guidelines!

~SAN DIEGO REGIONAL ENTERPRISE ZONES (SDREZ)
The GQA encourages you to check-out the website from the SDREZ. An Enterprise Zone can help you with: Development permit expediting and assistance, Tax savings on loans, Specialized technical and financial assistance programs and even Free job referral services! You can learn more about the program, see successful examples of businesses that are taking advantage of the SDREZ and get some resources for your business.  The Enterprise zone is pretty big - chances are your business is inside one of the three local areas.