Downtown Three Rivers to Celebrate ‘Downtown Day’ This Saturday

In a recent proclamation, Governor Gretchen Whitmer declared Saturday, September 26 to be “Downtown Day” in the state of Michigan. In collaboration with the Michigan Downtown Association (MDA), downtowns across the state will feature a variety of festivities and promotions in recognition of their importance. In a press release Tuesday, the Three Rivers Downtown Development Authority and Main Street Program (TRDDA) said its board, staff, and businesses plan to celebrate the day.

Three Rivers’ version is called “For the Love of Downtown.” A variety of Main Street businesses will be open and offering promotions or featuring special activities in recognition of Downtown Day. For example, Landmark Taphouse will offer a two-dollar domestic beer special, and World Fare is featuring 17 percent off purchases through September 30 in honor of its 17^th anniversary. Additional businesses may add promotions by the weekend. TRDDA’s Facebook page will feature updates.

However, amid pandemic hardships that have impacted local businesses, TRDDA Executive Director Tricia Meyer said, “The intent is to show them some love. We want to encourage people to come downtown, visit our businesses, shop, eat, drink, and support their community. For the most part, businesses are back in swing again, so we just want to say, ‘hey, come on down.’ It doesn’t have to be about sales. We just want to have a nice downtown vibe.”

Other institutions will also be open, offering activities at no charge. The Sue Silliman House Museum will have hours from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and Watershed Voice will open its office to introduce staff members and answer questions from the public from 9 a.m. to noon. Fall décor will be out, including pumpkins and mums, decorating the street.

The event is an opportunity for other activities as well. MDA is encouraging people to share their photos of how they celebrate Downtown Day on its own Facebook page with the hashtag #MiDowntownDay. It will randomly choose four photos and award the submitter with a $25 gift card for the downtown business of their choice. “Last time we did one of these, one of our people won,” Meyer said.

In addition, MDA said people can participate by writing positive reviews of downtown businesses, strolling downtown sidewalks, or ordering carry-out from a downtown restaurant. Most dining establishments on Main Street that are currently open offer carry-out service. MDA’s suggestions come from a longer “40 Ways in 40 Days to Love Your Downtown” promotion celebrating the organization’s 40^th anniversary.

Despite the ongoing pandemic, Meyer has been promoting downtown Three Rivers in a variety of ways. On Tuesday, she served as a panelist during a session on the successes of the Michigan Main Street Program at the Michigan Historic Preservation Network’s annual conference. Originally scheduled to be hosted in Kalamazoo, the conference took place virtually because of the pandemic. 

Meyer used the opportunity to promote the recently upgraded East Walk Through, which connects Main Street to the parking lots of Joshua Drive. Through a grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Meyer and TRDDA board members and volunteers were able to install overhead lighting, artwork, seating, accommodations for live music, and other amenities. Meyer said the inspiration came from a recent national Main Street conference held in Seattle, at which a similar installation in Wichita, Kansas was showcased.

In her presentation, Meyer highlighted the characteristics that she feels makes downtown Three Rivers special, including its people, its historical integrity, and its authenticity. “Authenticity is important,” she said. “If you want your work to be successful, you rally around the things you do and do well.” 

The non-profit MDA, which was founded in 1980 to drive interest and growth in downtowns, defines a downtown as the “commercial core of a community that serves as its social and economic center.” MDA serves as an advocacy organization, while the Michigan Main Street Program and its partner, Main Street America, provide technical assistance and other forms of support seeking to revitalize and maximize the potential of their downtown cores.

Three Rivers’ downtown historic district includes the first one and one-half blocks of North Main Street extending from Michigan Avenue and bounded on either side by Railroad and Joshua Drives. Historically, it hosted a wide range of businesses from pharmacies to hardware stores. Today, it is host to a growing collection of dining establishments and specialty shops.

“The MDA believes Downtown Day will bring positive attention and recognition to small businesses and downtown cores,” Dana Walker, director of the MDA, said.  “There are many opportunities for Michigan residents to safely support downtowns like strolling sidewalks, having a picnic in a park, ordering carryout, or leaving a positive review for a retail store on social media.”

For the latest information regarding Downtown Day in Three Rivers, watch the TRDDA’s Facebook page, or contact Meyer either by phone at 269-535-5145 or by email at threeriversdda@gmail.com.

Dave Vago is a writer and columnist for Watershed Voice. A Philadelphia native with roots in Three Rivers, Vago is a planning consultant to history and community development organizations and is the former Executive Director of the Three Rivers DDA/Main Street program.