Celebrate Small Business Week:
If You Want a Vibrant Downtown, Show Up
There’s something special about walking into a place where they know your name. Maybe it’s the hostess at your favorite restaurant who remembers your go-to table. The bookstore owner who recommends your next read. The boutique owner who knows your style, or the clerk who asks how your child’s concert went. That recognition isn’t just good customer service; it’s genuine community connection.
As we celebrate Small Business Week (May 4 to 10), take a moment to reflect on what truly makes Downtown State College feel like home: the people. The barista who remembers your order. The boutique that donates to your favorite nonprofits. The shop owner who asks how your family is doing. These connections don’t happen by accident. They are built intentionally, over time.
If we want a downtown filled with businesses that know us, care about us, and contribute to our shared life, we must be intentional in return. That means consistently showing up, not just when it’s convenient.
Intentional Support Builds Community
Supporting small businesses is about more than transactions. It is about presence.
Presence at special events, dining out, live music nights, arts events, sales, and trivia nights. Presence that says: We see you. We value you. We support you.
These moments of engagement, whether visiting a local shop, eating out, participating in a fitness class, or even sharing an event on social media, strengthen the fabric of our downtown. No online retailer or national chain can replicate the experience of being known, greeted, and appreciated in your community.
Envisioning the Future
Community support doesn’t just sustain our businesses. It attracts new ones. Entrepreneurs are more likely to invest in a place where the streets are alive with people, energy, and engagement. When foot traffic shows that our community is connected and supportive, we send a clear message: This is where small businesses thrive.
We all say we want a walkable, unique, and vibrant downtown. But it only becomes reality if we choose to participate in it.
Free Parking, Easy Access
Many merchants, along with our office, offer Free Validated Parking in downtown garages to make it easier to support downtown businesses. Stop by our office at 127 S Fraser Street to pick up validations and explore what downtown has to offer.
Show Up. Support. Stay Connected.
If you value local flavor, hometown charm, and personal connection, this is the week to act.
Celebrate Small Business Week with intention. Visit your favorite small businesses. Discover new ones.
Thank the owners and their staff for making our downtown special.
Show up.
