Michael Billy and Jarl are all over Jersey City….literally and figuratively they are on the JC “map”. They are co-founders of the JCITFF, Founders of Humanity Pride Productions and now recent owners of Discovery Map Hudson NJ. Which “Are colorful, hand-drawn maps of resort towns and cities, free to area visitors…advertising Restaurants, Accommodations, Retail Stores, Factory Outlets, Recreation & Attractions, Real Estate & Services”.

No, I am not talking about an iPhone application, I am talking about an actual map where you hold in your hands and go on adventures and discover the town in which you live in (or visiting). A few months ago, I got a copy of the map and it changed my world. Instead of putting in an address on google maps, and going to my destination…I try a different route and discover new things… whether it’s a cool new mural, a hidden cafe, or beautiful architecture. I love this map because it’s so easy to use and the hand drawn animation is adorable!! I loved it so much, I signed up for an advertisement for the year… so you will be seeing my ChicpeaJC caricature on there soon!! #marketing101

I met with Michael and Jarl at Beechwood, their favorite hangout spot to get the scoop! We ended up going on a little adventure ourselves. I love them!!

What are your names? 

I’m Michael Billy.

I’m Jarl.

What do you guys do? 

Michael: A few things. We’re business partners and best friends. We have a-

Jarl: Couple of companies together.

Michael: But our newest company is Discover Map Hudson.

What is Discovery Map Hudson? 

Michael: Discovery Map Hudson is the hand-drawn cool map.

Jarl: Cartoon map-fun, whimsical… that’s a good word.

Michael: Of tourist cities and Jersey City is a mega-tourist city we’ve been working with tourism for many years now.

Jarl: The mayor has really seen that in his new administration, but I think this has been a neglected thing in this area. I don’t think they understand the goldmine that they’ve had. We’ve been in the business with hotel / apartments or short-term apartment renters, we’ve done touristy tours, [and] we’ve done all kinds of things with guests before. I’ve seen this since I moved here that this is going to be the biggest tourist area in the Tri-State. I mean this is a goldmine, not only the Gold Coast, but it is a goldmine because of the synergy of New York, closeness, the beaches, everything that you have here. This is the opportunity to really put Jersey City on the map and I think the focus is to be even bigger.

Michael: Put it on the map literally.

Jarl: And really understand that this is so big if you make this a super-destination for a tourist to come to, every tourist will stay here if they know how great this is and how close it is.

Michael: And we’re not making it up either, we know just from having the hotel and being involved in tourism and being involved in this business. When our guests come here we have a whole bunch of hotels and high-rise luxury apartments right on the waterfront. What was happening when they were staying with us or other companies, they would go to Manhattan.

Jarl: They would always say, “Why is this not the biggest and the best?”

Michael: ‘Cause when they would spend time in Jersey City, it was all the things we love about it. It’s quiet, the community is great, there’s an artist community, but it’s a matter of getting people to the pedestrian streets that we know so well.

Jarl: Let me give you an example also: my friends are visiting for the first time, New York for the second time, first time in Jersey City. They are living in San Francisco, we just got that as a base, [and] they moved there, they are now transferring to Jersey to Newark. Because they say “We want to be here! This is awesome! How come no one knows about this?” I was like “Well, yeah, you have the restaurants, you have the stores, you have the views, you have the green.” They were like, “It’s so green in so many parks, it’s so flower-ful.” And it’s interesting, they came clean, fresh, from this whole area of San Francisco being so cool but they’re saying that this is better, much better. It’s the culture, you can get to everything.

Michael: We have so many streets in downtown, we used to have just Grove, now it’s Grove and Newark and we have side streets and new businesses that are brand new and owned by a lot of Jersey City residents.

So how do we get people to those stores? We used to advertise in this map, so we know the map is a really helpful tool for people who take it out and walk and know the neighborhood that we come and love so well. To find P.J. Ryan’s which is off the beaten path, to find Nine Bar Café which is on Erie but two blocks from Newark Avenue, and that’s something you’d normally find, but an adorable Italian café that people can find through the map.

How do you guys determine what businesses you’re marking? 

Michael: We know our market; we know when people are visiting Jersey City- What do they want to see?  They want to see restaurants, know where the pharmacy is, they want to know where food shopping is if they want to bring it back to their hotel or place, they want to know where to shop, where to have coffee and how to get the most out of our neighborhood. With new places popping up all the time- residents love it and realtors really love to hand it out to people looking to move here.

Let’s say businesses are interested advertising what’s the process? 

Michael:  haha, well I’m sure you have seen me walking around all summer letting shops know the map is back.  I love visiting with local business’s to chat about marketing.  And since we’re involved with other community festivals and happenings- the conversation tends to become a helpful discussion on how to get involved with local marketing.  It’s always good to know how to get involved in the community.  Also, businesses contacting us, I mean they might have information for us, they call our office line or they email us and we approach them, set up a meeting. We love to meet people face-to-face and talk to them. It doesn’t take much time.

Jarl: It’s not only about advertising, it’s about really understanding that they’re going to get stacks of these maps they can give out to everyone they want and they are free to give out. Residential buildings in Jersey City, like all these buildings that are popping up with the new residents, these buildings will have the maps. Front desks and concierge’s desk will have this map to hand out to anyone that walks in and says, “Hey, where do I eat tonight?” and here’s your map.

Michael: Most importantly, the real estate agencies who sell the area give this map to perspective new residents so they can experience the Jersey City we know and love. So, when you select how many spaces you want on the map, we work on your logo.  Shops either have their own logo and advertisement or those who don’t- we design them for the shops inclusive of the ad price.  Then we come by and we take a picture of your building and an overhead shot of your building and put you literally on the map.

Are you guys from Jersey City? 

Michael: From? We live here.

Jarl: I was said one point that we are; I mean we’ve been here for twenty years.

What are your favorite Jersey City hangout spots? 

Michael: You’re at it!

Beechwood? 

Michael: Yeah, you’re at it. We love Beechwood.

Jarl: We love also Nine Bar.

Michael: We love everyone on our map. We love to hang out everywhere there is on the map.

Jarl: We go to Nine Bar Café, we go to all these local places that we like and think they should be on the map and everyone should know about it.

How do you feel about the change in Jersey City? 

Jarl: We love it. I don’t think it can be fast enough, and big enough, and quick enough, and get more of those stores and restaurants in, and get more of those cool buildings in, but keep the historic quaintness of it.

Michael: The change is–my parents used to talk to me about Brooklyn, when they were kids, about growing up and going to the corner store and knowing everybody’s name and the local shop owner. And when we were kids, you included, when we both all we kids, that was not possible for a while. We had big corporations and we didn’t live and grow up in that community, people were to themselves. I never imagined I would live in that community and Jersey City is that community. You walk down the street people are calling your name, you know each other, all you have to do is make the effort to introduce, everyone is friendly. That is what this map is about; it’s capturing that and putting it in the map.

Anything else you’d like people to know about the map? 

Michael: We have been listening to our clients and what they would like to see on the map.  It has been two years since the map was in production so we are redrawing the map to give the downtown area more space on the map.  City Hall will be our centerpiece and landmarks like The Statue of Liberty will be enlarged to highlight how close we are.  The edge of Manhattan will also be added so people will more easily be able to guide themselves through the neighborhood.

For more information contact (201) 694-4535

E-Mail HUDSONMAP@DISCOVERYMAP.com

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