From the TV of my youth, we saw places that had a downtown square, like Mayberry, where people met, walked and visited. And it's wonderful today to visit some of the smaller Hill Country towns that have maintained that downtown square. But the large cities had let their downtown go. Bryan was one of those cities that at some time in its past had a vibrant downtown area but as urban sprawl occurred the downtown area fell into disrepair.
Like many cities, there are always "mom and pop" businesses located downtown because of cheap rent, or even owning the building during better times. Starting several years ago the owner of the Frame Gallery, a downtown Bryan business, decided she needed to generate some buzz to make people aware of her store. She decided on the First Friday of the month she would stay open until 9:00 pm and offer free wine, snacks, art and music. Her husband is an accomplished drummer and had played with several local musicians so she had a great venue planned.
As she started to draw a crowd she convinced other downtown businesses to join in on the fun. She even joined with local artists and created an "Art Step" that now occurs three times a year where local artists use different stores to display their art normally with music and good camaraderie.
The city of Bryan began about the same time (or a little earlier) helping businesses to refurbish their businesses. The city also redid the main street making it more pedestrian friendly. This also encouraged more businesses to move into the "old downtown" area.
Our downtown has enjoyed a great revival. There are some excellent restaurants, a boutique hotel (Grandma and I just love to stay there!), many varied businesses, and nightclubs. I could go on and on about the businesses because they are the lifeblood of downtown but I would forget someone and feel bad. It is a great place to shop for that unique gift, enjoy a fantastic meal, or have a great glass of wine.
Bryan has done something that is to be proud of. It has revitalized its downtown area and on First Friday you have people parking their cars and walking the streets to have a relaxing time.
I am a baby boomer and as such we had already abandoned the downtown concept by the time I was old enough to be out and visiting. So it is not a reliving of my past but a past of America that was almost forgotten. I will not miss a First Friday and, in fact, have made downtown a destination area for anytime I'm out and need a meal, a unique gift, or just to feel a part of an earlier America.
