On the Mile Magazine

FEATUREon the mile
“We’re not just a
shopping or restaurant
district. We’re a
community center
Denise Jefferson, Executive Director of the
Miracle Mile Improvement District.
Continued from page 5
rare, in any neighborhood or shopping destination.
There are no “anchor” big box stores, and most, if not
all, of the businesses are independently owned. “We’re
not just a shopping or restaurant district. We’re a community
center,” she says.
Jefferson is serious about her work. The Miracle Mile
District provides services to Mile businesses such as
parking lot improvement, administering a security
program that provides security to the Mile, graffiti
removal and waste removal of approximately 25 tons
of trash a year. When the Mile’s post office was scheduled
to close, the Miracle Mile Improvement District
was also there with the neighborhood protesting the
proposed closure. In the end, the protest convinced
the postal system the post office serving the Miracle
Mile was needed. “Many places have lost their sense of
The entrance to Tuxedo Park from Pacific Avenue in 1934. The Milky Way Malt Shop was a popular hangout for College of the
Pacific students and was situated where Midtown Creperie is located today. Courtesy the Bank of Stockton Historical Photograph Collection.
community,” she laments. But the Miracle Mile continues
to cherish its past, while fighting for its future,
by involving everyone- business owners, University
of the Pacific, homeowners, and patrons. “Wonderful
residents and the community take ownership of this
area,” Jefferson says. This pride of ownership is a key
ingredient to the mile’s continued relevance to all that
support it.
As Stockton grows, there are questions about the
mile’s future relevance. There are numerous shopping
destinations in Stockton, Internet shopping, and big
box stores like Target and Wal-Mart that have the finances
for strong advertising campaigns. With a background
in urban planning, Joy Neas, founder of the
organization Save Old Stockton and member of the
University Neighborhood Renaissance Committee,
feels that history is where the future lies. “We have to
celebrate history, and not so quick to tear it down,” she
says. Neas is a firm believer that in order for the Mile
and Stockton to thrive instead of just survive, “we need
to tap into history.” Tapping into history can mean a
myriad of activities, such as increased access to public
art, history tours, and a coming together of all groups
that call the Miracle Mile home. With increased historical
knowledge about the mile comes an increased
chance for positivity. In coming together as a community,
the mile ceases to be just a place to visit for business,
but another place to hang out, call home, and care
about- the “third place.”
For Arnold Chin, the Miracle Mile has always been
his third and second place for years. His parents, Fritz
and Liza Chin opened Fritz Chin Photography in the
1960’s. He currently is the president of the Board of
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6 | on the MILE | NOVEMBER 2011-JANUARY 2012 NOVEMBER 2011-JANUARY 2012 | on the MILE | 7