Revitalization Effort Has Downtown Asheboro Making a Comeback
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Ten years ago when David and Janet Rich stood in front of the old Moore’s department store building on Sunset Avenue in Midtown Asheboro‚ they saw more than just an empty relic of the past – they saw potential.
In 1993‚ after dabbling in antique sales in other cities‚ the avid collectors were ready to open their own antique mall‚ and quickly recognized the logistical and financial advantages a downtown Asheboro location could provide.
“ When we first presented the plan to open our business‚ Collectors Antique Mall‚ we were asked by some‚ ‘why Asheboro and not Greensboro?’ Well‚ our reply was ‘why not Asheboro?’” says Janet Rich‚ who‚ like many longtime Asheboro residents‚ recalls shopping at Moore’s before it closed in 1984. “Antique people are hunters by nature and they will travel anywhere if you make it worth their while. From the beginning‚ we were confident that Midtown had the right atmosphere and that we could make it work.”
Today‚ after watching their business grow nearly tenfold and expanding it into the building next door‚ it’s apparent that the Riches were right about Midtown. And to the delight of city planners‚ their unrelenting enthusiasm has caught on.
Since Collectors Antique Mall opened its doors‚ retail and commercial businesses have steadily filtered back into the Midtown business district‚ leaving only a few vacancies in an area that‚ like many American downtown regions‚ suffered from urban flight caused by the mega-mall trend of the 1980s.
According to Linda Carter‚ chairwoman of Asheboro’s redevelopment commission and a member of the city council‚ the longtime dream of a Midtown comeback is indeed on its way to becoming a reality‚ thanks in large part to the efforts of concerned citizens‚ business owners and city leaders.
“ The organized effort to revitalize Midtown is beginning to show results. We’ve seen more people take an interest and have completed several successful projects‚” says Carter‚ whose family owned a Midtown business‚ Garner Morgan Hardware‚ from 1974 to 1982.
One revitalization project Carter cites is Bicentennial Park‚ a block-long “green space” located in the center of the Midtown business district between Sunset Avenue and Academy Street. In 1996‚ through private fundraising‚ donations and grants‚ a group of business owners and civic leaders teamed up with the city to transform the old Asheboro bus station into the public park‚ which today provides tree-shaded benches and walkways‚ space for parking and an outdoor stage for concerts and other events‚ including a major antique car show scheduled for late September 2004.
On the heels of Bicentennial Park’s success‚ eight local banks decided to join forces and make $1 million available for businesses to purchase property at low interest rates‚ providing even more of an incentive to locate in Midtown.
“ The banking consortium shows that there’s a real commitment to Midtown and that our business leaders believe we’re headed in the right direction‚” says Carter‚ who also works as the downtown community office manager for First National Bank‚ a member of the consortium.
Within a stone’s throw of both Collectors Antique Mall and Bicentennial Park‚ another small business‚ The Sterling Silver Shoppe‚ is reaping the benefits of Midtown revitalization. Looking ahead‚ its owner says projects such as sidewalk improvements‚ the addition of decorative planters to the cityscape and the burying of power lines will make Midtown an even more attractive place to do business.
“ Midtown is a fun and unique place for customers to shop‚” says Foster Hughes‚ who opened his quirky jewelry and accessory store on Sunset Avenue five years ago. “When you look out your store window‚ you see the park and people walking down the street enjoying themselves. I mean‚ what more could you ask for?”
Story by Valerie Shead
Photo by Greg Emens
