Moss and Ink local

Throughout the past few weeks I have spoken to some of the local business owners, some employees and customers, while also following conversations on Facebook about our historic Main Street.

The general attitude about it seems to be:

• our historic downtown area lacks the beauty of its prime
• it could use some paint and a few facade-face lifts
• more events that highlight Main Street are needed
• events and activities geared toward children are needed
• residents new to Streator need to be welcomed, not told they made a bad decision and should consider moving elsewhere
• businesses need to be made known better
• overall a higher customer volume is needed

The post ‘The Thread Revival‘, a clothing resale store at 322 East Main Street made about the state of our downtown, on July 24th, got mixed comments from both other business owners as well as members of the community.

Comments made on said post included the following:

A fellow business owner, S. C., on Main Street spoke on the fact that after their 8 years in businesses people are still asking when they opened. This seems to show that our downtown truly needs more traffic. Also mentioned by them is the fact that the first building on right side of the 400 block of Main Street, the first building potential customers see, looks rather run down, does not make a good first impression and makes them wonder how the city allows that on a street that should be the highlight of our town.

• Answering the points the first business owner made, the owner of said rather run down looking building, M. M., responded, conveying significant frustration and agitation, stating there are phone numbers in the window and S. C. should just call the city to complain whenever they’d like. M. M. explained that ‘ a lot of money has already gone into the 5 buildings across from S. C.’ , mentioning a ‘HUGE’ garage in the alley behind said building. While the garage may have been an expensive improvement, it sadly does nothing for the visual appeal of the buildings facade to potential customers. M. M. did state new windows were being put in on the upper levels, but calls out S. C., claiming S. C. is impatient and clearly they ‘haven’t had to pace your projects and plan out finances’ and that paint is the last thing on their list because it ‘is the least important’. M. M. further explains that her husband used to be a downtown business owner years ago and how no one supported his store either, which leads me to think they know the impact a nicely presenting facade of a building could have. M. M. even went so far as to accuse S. C. of having ignored a potential break in because their building ‘is ugly anyway’.
• T. V. P also pointed out they understood that M. M. has invested time, money and energy into their building, as they have done the same to their own building. T. V. P. states they do know of the improvements M. M. made and the building looks ‘1000% better and safer’ but agree that ‘everyone who drives down Main Street sees the front of your buildings not the back ( with the new and improved garage etc. ) or the alley’. T. V. P.’s building is also across from M. M.’s and has been asked daily by customers about the building with the crumbling facade. ‘Our block is the first full block of retail space and welcomes visitors and travelers to Streator. I think it is critical that our block looks appealing and fresh to visitors, and foot traffic as well as vehicle traffic. I wish paint was more important to you ( M. M. and her husband )’.

A frequent and well liked commenter, B. B., brings up a long list of ideas that include our entire town, all geared toward drawing a crowd back into our town, which would in turn benefit everyone. Some of the ideas from B. B. and an answering commenter included tennis courts ( independent from the YMCA ones ), unlocked bathrooms, vending machines, more up to date playgrounds and equipment, basket balls courts or simply hoops in the park and more. They agree more is needed near our accessible waterways. Parking spots, walk ways and more.

T.G. blames the Police Chief’s alleged allowing of drugs in our town and the mayor for not being proactive.

R.J. requests new people be put on the city council to have a fresh perspective of what goes on in our town.

Aside from productive comments, as one seems to always find on any post these days, are politically geared comments blaming the current President, the former President, the left, the right, you get the picture.

N. commented stating she had been in business right on Main Street for over 25 years and STILL has people asking when she opened as they never knew her store existed there. We as a community, need to change that! Unrelated to her comment but in regards to businesses being open or closing, the upper level of More on Main, Main Streets coffee shop and boutique hub, is now near empty! Just at the beginning of the year there was the male clothing store, a shop for kitchen supplies and gifts, a hair dresser and a gown shop. When I stopped by there last week? All closed. Most entirely empty or in the process of emptying the store. Just sad, especially as nothing ( aside the men’s clothing store ) was announced.

Other commenters state we as a Community have to ‘shop Streator’ to keep our small businesses alive, which is a great idea, but hard to accomplish if it is hard to see what is available and where ( don’t you worry, I’m working on something ).

S.O. calls for our town to be kept to a standard of cleanliness. Too many trashed yards, visible decay, overgrown yards, vacant properties and more, suggesting a “Streator Clean Up Month” or even a weekend event some time in the fall, and I have to agree. The town’s I have lived in previously all had that and it was a great way to bring the Community together.

The Thread Revival, after giving a few hours for responses and comments to come in, responded the following:

“I absolutely appreciate all the feedback, but I didn’t post this just for myself. I’m still growing as a business, but I’m by all means not going to be quiet about something that needs addressed. All businesses downtown are slow, and yes I know it’s slow season and it’s hot, and the economy. I get all of that. But heck sometimes people just need to see the reality of things. Downtown should NOT be dead. It’s totally not just my shop, it is all. Just wanted to bring awareness.”

Following this Post on Facebook, I spoke to a representative of The Thread Revival and attempted to contact other downtown businesses as well, but without much luck. I was hoping to ask about their participation in the ‘Christmas in July’ Event.

• Their favorite thing about our current downtown area is all the hard working individuals keeping our businesses alive, and especially that a lot of the shops are women-owned.
• A lot of business owners may be too proud to state ‘we are failing’ but they should indeed say something, because unless the community knows about it, they can’t really help. It is sad that a lot of them put, quite literally, their blood, sweat and tears into their businesses just to watch them sink regardless. They spoke to other businesses on Main Street and sadly, they are all currently struggling.
• From another business on a related note: More on Main, while they stated they did have a busy Saturday recently, weren’t sure that surge in customers could be attributed to the Christmas in July event that happened on that Saturday.
• It was hard for them to even make this post as no one wants to admit struggles, but they fear that one after the other, stores close and we will lose all of our historic downtown. A big issue is simply that people don’t know what is available for them in our stores and let’s be honest, some days it’s easier to just shop online between dishes and the next load of laundry, than it is to do the research into if and which a store in town has it, driving there and looking for the item. The high number of abandoned, or abandoned-looking buildings doesn’t help to make our town look ‘alive’.
• Parking seems to be an issue as the people that stop at the Park don’t make their way to Main Street and a mix of Restaurants could help draw more foot traffic, although visitors from towns in the area, i. e. ‘Ladies Day Trips’ from Minonk etc, while already happening, need to happen more frequently. While said day trips from ‘outsiders’ are helpful for our economy, it helps nothing regarding the lack of our very own local shoppers.
• A ‘Sip ‘n’ Shop Night’ was suggested, perhaps spooky themed around Halloween ( similar to the prior Witches Walk ) was suggested and I believe it would be a great idea!

Suggestions for the community:

• Actually enter the stores. Take some time to browse and don’t just repeatedly enter the same establishments. Who knows, you might find a new favorite!
• Volunteer for clean up initiatives. We have so many overgrown yards, vacant properties, trash and more in our lovely town, why should we let it take away from Streator’s beauty? Not to mention, it’s just not very appealing for potential new community members and passer-byes.
• Realtors should offer ‘Welcome to Streator’ Folders to new residents that include menus to restaurants, a town guide and more.
• Directory Maps. Different maps for the different things available in our town, i. e. a map that shows all our restaurants, a map that shows outdoor trails and more.
• Spotlights for the ‘Face behind the Business’ so Community members know who owns what and what they offer.

What are YOUR thoughts about our town?

What would you improve? What is your favorite Shop, Restaurant or Park?

Be sure to let us know and we might just feature it in a future artice!

Email us at info@mossandinklocal.com

-Willow Moss