Main Street restaurants will be passing “Go” this weekend, collecting business from local patrons with a board game twist.
The ninth annual traversing of the Monopoly board takes place Sunday, as popular bars and eateries take part in the “MAINopoly: Taste of Main Street” event that’s continued to bring the board game to life. Attendees will don their best monocles and bowties, but instead of taking properties from other players, they’ll be roaming Main Street between Strand and Pier Ave. for a unique walking tour.
Beginning at 1pm, locals can check in at The Victorian and California Heritage Museum lawn to begin their dice rolls, landing in over 20 locations like Jameson’s Pub, Tavern on Main, Rabano and Ashland Hill. Heading into each spot and taking part in a food or drink sampling will give participants a “stamp” of their dedicated game board. Once the board is complete, attendees are entered into raffles for prizes like the “Taste of Main Street” prize back valued at $1,000.
Those who want to take a break from main gameplay can dive into the Community Chest of other activities, such as the “Go To Jail” beer garden with beverages from Venice Duck Brewery and the “Just Visiting” Photo Booth. A portion of all proceeds will benefit the Main Street Business Improvement District, aiding community programming and keeping Main Street “in the public conversation,” according to the district’s Executive Director Hunter Hall.
“The side benefit of all the events we do is that it’s always just reminding people that Main Street exists, which of course spills into people’s daily shopping habits, whether it’s going to Main Street restaurants or going to a boutique on Main Street … that’s a misunderstood and overlooked benefit of events in general is that there’s an after-effect, an afterglow if you will, to any event in a district like Main Street,” Hall said.
Hall took over the business improvement district in 2017 after his time in the restaurant industry, and has made entertainment a priority, bringing events like MAINopoly and Day of the Dog to the neighborhood. This event specifically aids the eateries of Main Street that have been hit by a bevy of economic factors in recent years. Aside from the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the ever-present issue of inflation, Hall said local restaurants have been dealing with rising labor costs and regulations that bring down already-shrinking profit margins.
“It’s hard, there’s no other way to put it,” Hall said. “There’s lots of headwinds, lots of things changing … there’s a laundry list of [things] affecting restaurants that don’t get much press.”
He added that locations have attempted to combat these changes with creativity, crafting new employee schedules and new menus to save on labor and food costs. Main Street itself has been buoyed by the opening of several restaurants and cafes in 2024, such as Sushi Vegan, Zona Little Italy, Rabano and MUDWTR.
More additions will be coming to the neighborhood as well, Hall said, including a new concept from the creators of Met Him At A Bar and Met Her At A Bar on La Brea Ave. The openings and events are what keep Hall going in his endeavor to bring attention on Main Street.
“I think it’s the best commercial neighborhood in Santa Monica … in terms of a good and eclectic mix of restaurants and funky shops and proximity to the beach … I was just lucky to fall into it,” Hall said.
Tickets for MAINopoly are $35 for general admission, $20 for the beer garden only, $20 for kids aged 5-12 and $60 for a VIP beer garden ticket. For more information, visit mainopolysm.com
