District dreams: Design community looking to stand out from the rest

A neighborhood that sits a short walk away from one of Southwest Florida’s most popular shopping and tourist destinations is working to gain some of that foot traffic.

The Naples Design District, steps from busy Fifth Avenue South in downtown Naples, established itself as an officially defined area in the city roughly a year ago, in an attempt to stand out as a separate spot for shoppers to get creative goods. The district celebrated its one year anniversary by announcing nearly a half-dozen businesses have opened in the area.

The Naples Design District is between Fifth Avenue South to Seventh Avenue North and on the east side of U.S. 41 to Goodlette Frank Road. “We are thrilled with what we have accomplished in year one,” David Fruscione, the newly elected president of the Naples Design District Board and owner of Republic of Decor, says in a news release. “We have now put all our tools in place as we look ahead to year two and beyond. My goal as president for this upcoming year is to establish a clear delineation of our neighborhood with branded signage and lighting."

In addition to the new businesses, the Naples Design District is working to establish its brand identity by partnering with local creative agencies. These include Plan A, a branding and content agency that developed their website and maintains it on an ongoing basis, and Ella Creations a local marketing and public relations agency, which created the branding, website and map content and manages all the ongoing public relations and social media efforts for the district.

The district plans to organize additional events to bring locals, seasonal residents and tourists into the neighborhood.