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Developing Business
With all the momentum in Downtown Macon, several new businesses have opened in the last few months. Part of NewTown's mission is to grow jobs in the urban core, and our capital campaign targeted improvements on three major blocks in downtown. The three target blocks had a storefront occupancy rate of 52% in 2012, and now the current storefront occupancy is 70%. Our goal is to reach 75% occupancy by the summer of 2017.
A new business on Mulberry Street,
Harp & Bowl La Bistro
, opened August 17. The owner, Charlotte Ethridge, chose a downtown storefront because of the charm of the historic district, and the district's atmosphere and recent growth. The organic, whole-food restaurant is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and offers a fresh fruit bar, teas, smoothies, Body Ecology vitamins, natural meats, and house-made, pickled corn beef. Drop by to taste Harp & Bowl's specialty lunch item, a falafel sandwich with a side of fresh fruit.
Parish on Cherry
is downtown's new New Orleans style restaurant. Chrissy Lynn Eiszner and Vincent Kelly located their business downtown because they love downtown, and wanted to be a part of downtown at the right time. Eiszner said, throughout the process of opening Parish on Cherry, Hal Baskin, Director of Real Estate and Development at NewTown, assisted her with locating available storefronts, and was readily available to answer questions. Parish on Cherry settled in a storefront on Cherry Street next to the
Lamar Lofts
in June. Parish is open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and until 11:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The bar stays open until 2:00 a.m. Thursday through Saturday, and also offers daily happy hour drink and food specials from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Bourbon Bar is a new bar geared towards adults. Owners Adam and Becky Dennis saw a lack of downtown bars for adults to simply grab a drink. The couple chose the storefront in the Strechi-Kessler Building, near the new Tubman Museum, because they appreciated the style and scale of the space, and downtown seemed to be the best place to locate. Dennis named the venue the "Bourbon Bar" to keep the name simple and straightforward. The Bourbon Bar is open Tuesday through Friday from 4:00p until midnight, and Saturday from noon to 2:00 a.m.
Urban Hack
On the last Friday of the month, NewTown's staff heads to Spark Macon for an urban hack. We answer questions about downtown, starting a business, or developing a building.
Our staff's favorite hour of the month is at 4:00 p.m., when we host an urban dialog lead by Mercer Professor Creighton Rosental. The dialog covers urban issues, and how our community may approach solutions. This month's readings discuss city sprawl. We invite you to participate or just listen.
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Partners in Progress Awards
Each year, NewTown Macon honors partners who demonstrate exceptional passion and commitment to the revitalization of Downtown Macon. The Partners in Progress Awards recognize not only people, but also organizations and businesses during our annual Tour of Progress. Do you know an individual or business that should be recognized this year?
First Friday
Next week is First Friday! We're placing your favorite local musicians around downtown, and hosting a car cruise-in at Cherry Street Plaza. Stroll around to your favorite shops and galleries, and then grab a bite at a local eatery. Stay out late and hear live music at one of the many concert venues. We hope to see you there!
Macon Music CD Release Party
The music scene in Macon is growing, with Macon Pops, Bragg Jam, Corner Concerts and more downtown music venues. To highlight Macon musicians, NewTown partnered with Shadow Sound Studio to promote Macon's musical talent.
The Macon Music project provides exposure to local musicians with a free concert, advertising, and a professional recording, produced by Joey Stuckey. The winning artists will perform on September 12 at the Armory Ballroom from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. Listen to the tracks online or grab a free Macon Music CD at the concert.
Lamar Lofts
The beginning of August marked the grand opening of the Lamar Lofts. This new loft building on Cherry Street has two ground floor commercial spaces, and 38 lofts-10 of which are leased. If you're interested in seeing the space or renting a unit, schedule a private tour
Kroger Rewards
Do you use a Kroger Plus card and enjoy supporting nonprofits? The Kroger Community Rewards allows you to donate to your favorite nonprofit at no cost to you, and no deduction to your Kroger points! It's a great easy way to support downtown and NewTown.
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