On a regular business day, the historic Roosevelt district is quiet, with a few cars parked alongside businesses in the area. But on the first Friday of every month, when the sun goes down, Roosevelt Row undergoes a transformation.
Hundreds of people gather to enjoy the First Fridays art walk, which is organized by the nonprofit arts organization Artlink.
Although many businesses on Roosevelt Row depend on First Fridays for a majority of their sales, it is on the lesser-known Third Fridays when many art galleries sell their larger pieces and art patrons come out to enjoy downtown Phoenix.
This Friday, galleries are hoping to a get a surge in business because of the cooler weather, said Mike Oleskow, interim president of of Artlink and owner of After Hours Gallery.
Oleskow knows the dismal economy has hurt the arts community. With temperatures cooling down in the evenings, however, Oleskow said he hopes business on Third Fridays will pick up.
Third Friday, also started by Artlink, is a “much more focused” event that is meant to draw a buying crowd, Oleskow said.
“First Friday is a little too hectic. Third Friday has a more relaxed environment,” he said.
Hillary Butler, events manager for Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit that works to foster the urban environment in downtown Phoenix, can be seen on First Fridays on a dirt lot by the art vendors and food trucks. Butler said the different atmosphere of First Fridays is important to vendors in the area.
“First Friday is definitely floating people by. It’s when some of the vendors make most of their profits,” Butler said.
Cindy Dach, owner of Made Art Boutique and interim executive director of Roosevelt Row CDC, said her store’s sales on First Fridays are items that are ten dollars or less, such as magnets and jewelry.
On Third Fridays, the boutique is less crowded, which makes it easier for artists and gallery owners to interact with customers, she said.
“People know what they want to do and buy, so I sell higher-priced items,” Dach said. “I love both events, and I love that they’re different.”
Wayne Rainey, owner of Monorchid Artist Collective gallery, said he sees more art collectors on Third Fridays but more people in general on First Fridays.
“Sales are better on Third Fridays. First Fridays are kind of a zoo,” Rainey said. “When volume is that high, purchases go down. People don’t have room to look around.”
Eye Lounge artist Mary Meyer said she has experienced the same thing, noting that Third Fridays draw more art patrons.
“Over 2,000 people came through the space last Friday night throughout four hours,” Meyer said. “First Friday is a night on the town, a party night. Third is opening night so people come to shop.”
Graeme Lithgow, an artist with the gallery and coffee shop Conspire, estimates 50 percent of Conspire’s sales are made on First Fridays, but the prices of the items they sell are lower.
“If you want to create a client base, Third Fridays would be when you could actually speak to people,” Lithgow said.
Modified Arts gallery owner Kimber Lanning said much of the Third Fridays audience is more mature and includes art collectors, curators and artists themselves.
“Almost all of our sales are made on Third Fridays. Sometimes there are sales on First Fridays, but that’s not usual,” Lanning said.
Political science junior Adi Wiezel volunteers with Roosevelt Row CDC and frequents both First and Third Fridays when she can.
“First and Third Fridays get people to be more involved in the arts district, and there’s a lot of community building with these events,” Wiezel said.
Contact the reporter at carolina.m.lopez@asu.edu
