No matter how large or small a community, there’s something about having a place we know as downtown that makes a difference. It’s like a center of gravity.
Forget the big banks, jewelry stores, or medical offices that are empty at night.
Here are some elements to consider.
- Functioning post office. Once it moves to the outskirts, it’s curtains for many towns. Or at least did, back before email and Amazon. Well, we still need somewhere to send off those return items or to get our passports.
- A brewpub or microbrewery. Think about it. A social place to gather casually that doesn’t feel like a stinky dark bar.
- A decent diner or coffee house. Ditto.
- Distinctive restaurant. Doesn’t have to be fancy but definitely worthy of a dinner date. Ethnic certainly fits here.
- Hardware store, pharmacy, and grocery. Meet real-life needs.
- Residents: They’re what keeps the place from becoming a desert at night.
- Pedestrian friendly. Keep parking at the fringe, please, or in some kind of balance.
- Library. It’s not all about books.
- Arts opportunities. Galleries, theaters, concert venues all add vitality.
- Waterfront. Once scorned and polluted, a cleaned-up stream or coastline is a mesmerizing attraction. We can sit and watch the motion for hours and then feel rested.
Jnana's Red Barn 