Main St. Designation

Agree. Another story using the Journal as the PR mouthpiece to advertise THEIR downtown successes. I know Adkins has mentioned that what goes on downtown involves EVERYONE in town but if that were the case, wouldn't they have given all citizens an input event to let them know what we, who are always outside looking in, want for the downtown?

From day one, "artsy/cultural" type people were chosen to run the downtown. The theme of arts, culture, fru fru restaurants, coffee shops and events catering to a very small percentage of residents of this city were chosen. This small contingent has been calling the shots from the beginning of this so-called "downtown revival." The vast majority of residents have not had a say-so in this "revival". It has been their show all along. They determine what businesses go downtown. They determine the rules by which a business is established. They determine the theme downtown and they determine what choices we residents will have if we decide to go downtown. It is their show and most of us are left out of the picture. After all of this planning and effort, they still have not offered anything to go downtown for for most of us.

It is not an all-inclusive message that they are sending. That is done for a purpose. It allows them to protect their little utopia from being invaded by blue collar attractions that 98% of the people would be interested in.

Again, for the umpteenth time, Middletown is a blue collar town. Always was, always will be. It is a beer, Nascar and cheeseburger city, not wine, opera and fru fru finger sandwiches. I have been here for 68 years and can verify that. No one in the downtown crowd gets it. They are catering to a very small percentage of the population around here. They either do not understand or refuse to accept this fact. They apparently could care less about learning the demographics of this community. You cannot force fit culture into a blue collar community, downtown people. We are not interested and it doesn't fit our lifestyle.

You want people to come to your downtown? Lose the idea that culture and the arts will attract us, understand the demographics of the city and give us something of interest to draw us to your part of the city. That is the only way you will grow your downtown and maintain any interest.

Funky_Cole:

Not necessarily for me but for the folks who live in downtown proper.....a grocery store, a downtown McD's, a gas station and perhaps other daily amenities that would accomodate those who would want to live downtown. The downtown development people have a goal to attract professionals and others to live downtown. Offer them the daily necessities as a beginning.

My opinion on changes....

In the "get rid of" category.
1. Specialized coffee shops- not important to most Middletonians. We are not groomed for that. A "specialized" cup of coffee is not reason enough to drive downtown.

2. Fru fru restaurants that serve a "gourmet" burger with a pickle slice and some chips- replace with some buffet style restaurants that offer stir fry, pizza, and "Golden Corral" type food. This is a "pay one price and eat all you want type of town". Typical Middletown people will drop 15 bucks on all you can eat before they will spend that same 15 bucks on one hamburger, pickle and chips. Again, not reason enough to drive downtown. Too many better choices on the east end with Appleby's. O'Charlies, Steak and Shake, Olive Garden and Crackerbarrel, and, there is always Golden Corral for the all you can eat crowd. This is what the downtown restaurants are competing against. The east end offers anything and everything people in this town need and want. Add Lowes, Meijers, Burlington Coat and Wal-Mart to the list of Middletown desirables.


Remember, typical Middletown people don't have the disposable income to justify a 5 dollar cup of coffee (Starbucks) and a 15 dollar hamburger. A $1.40 cup of McDonald's coffee will do just fine. It is their idea of gourmet. They will spend their money on a six pack of beer before they will buy a bottle of wine. They will go to a sports bar and buy wings before they will mingle with the upscale restaurant crowd. McD's dollar menu would be first choice for many here. They will buy cheaper Little Ceasars pizza before they will go gourmet by the slice.

They like Tractor Supply and Odd Lots as well as Dollar General/Family Dollar for the odds and ends. They go to Traders World, not the Green on I-675.

They wear flannel shirts, T-shirts and blue jeans, not starched collar business shirts and ties, Dockers and wingtips.

I have been saying this for many years now.....and here it is again......

What EVERYONE LIKES, no matter what the demographic, culture level or income level........

A casino. The idea of taking your money, even if limited, and taking a chance on winning more, AND, the entertainment factor associated with a casino, not to mention the endless food choices, will entice almost anyone to a given location no matter what the background, be it cultured or non-cultured. It is of universal interest to all.

I would bet, IF the downtown people would lure a casino to the shores of the Great Miami, right off of the beaten path to their downtown and offer the services of Forest Hills golf, the bed and breakfast of the Sorg Mansion, and the entertainment factor of the upcoming Sorg Opera House and what it could potentially offer, I could see some foot traffic downtown, as well as some enticement for people to want to live down there as well as some year round downtown activity happening there. Continue with the downtown Bash and add a blues concert. bluegrass show, and some country music scheduled and you have people gathering around Central and Broad on a continual basis. Open up their arts shops during the shows to exhibit their offerings. In the meantime, the casino is going full bore a block away down by the river.

When the business world sees the money flowing in a given area, the downtown supporters won't be able to keep businesses away from building there. Revenues will increase for the city from taxes on the casino operation and the ensuing business development.

Look at the area north of here on I-75 before you get to the I-675 cutoff called Austin Landing. Started with two speculation buildings that have since been filled and now it is a mini-city with Field and Stream, a Kroger and a robotics factory across the way and more construction being built. Need a major catalyst to spur development. If potential businesses think they can profit from the success of a major attraction, they will show up to cannibalize off of the activity. JMO