Downtown merchants unite

By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Downtown merchants are forming a group aimed at making their shopping district more attractive and viable as a part of the Hartselle business community.
Some 35 merchants met at City Hall last week to air grievances and share information and ideas about what needs to be done to increase commerce in the area. Before the hour-long meeting adjourned, they voted unanimously to meet again in a month and establish a downtown merchants committee.
Gary McCaig, a longtime downtown business owner, said an association with strong leadership and sound goals is what Hartselle needs to improve and promote the Central Business District.
Bob Schofield, who opened Schofield’s Antiques in a partnership with his wife Lynn and son, Marty, two months ago, agreed.
Deanne Fox of Fox and Dobbins, who conducted the meeting, said she has heard complaints from neighboring business owners about sales being slow.
McCaig said an all-out effort needs to be made to clean up the shopping area, even if it takes business owners working together after they close their stores.
Several of the merchants said more than half of their business comes from outside of Morgan County and suggested they target more of their advertising to reach that segment of the market. One merchant suggested late shopping hours at least one day a week as a means to promote sales.
Other needs that were discussed but left unsolved were lighted Christmas decorations and public restrooms.
Fred Smith, a downtown business owner and a director of Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce, said some of the decorations are stored at the Public Works Department and others in a privately owned warehouse in town.
Fox told the merchants they could expect to be notified of the date and time of the next meeting a couple of weeks in advance. She asked them to be thinking about goals and objectives for the proposed association and who they would recommend and support as its officers.