23rd Annual Main Street Awards
City of Monroe's Nominations for the
23rd Annual Wisconsin Main Street Awards
Friday, Oct. 25 in Wausau
• Best New Business - Rainbow Confections; Kristi Smith, owner.
• Best Façade Rehabilitation over $7,500 - 1005 16th Ave., FACE Properties, LLC, Craig Patchin, owner.
• Best Adaptive Reuse Project - Monroe Theatre Guild.
• Best Downtown Special Event - Main Street Monroe's Pirates on the Square, Summer 2012.
• 2012-13 Volunteer of the Year - Tracey Hamilton.
• 2012-13 Wis. Main Street Honorary Board of Directors - JoAnne Leuenberger.
WEDC will honor special volunteers, projects, events, partnerships and businesses. The event
provides an opportunity to share success stories from across Wisconsin and to network with Main Street colleagues and WEDC staff.
For more event information, contact Sarah Bownds at 608-210-6769; email sarah.bownds@wedc.org; or visit "upcoming events" at inwisconsin.com.
MONROE - A drive around the Square may not readily reveal the many new opportunities for shopping and living that have come recently to downtown Monroe.
Most of the changes are going on inside, as property owners and new retailers remodel their spaces, said Amy Brandt, executive director of Main Street Monroe.
"A lot of work goes into owning and operating your retail store downtown," Brandt said. "But whatever it takes, they're doing it."
Some retail spaces have had walls knocked out, and the high, tin ceilings, once so familiar to ancestors who shopped here, are being exposed again.
A few retail stores have closed in the past year, but Brandt said the spaces refilled quickly.
"There aren't a lot of empty store fronts (left) downtown," said Brandt.
Brand also said the city has been seeing a higher demand for living downtown.
The variety of stores that have come to the downtown commercial district shows retailers' response to the needs of their consumers today and their desire to be part of the downtown business community, according to Brandt.
Two of the most recent stores on the Square, Lillians of Monroe and The Pet Spot, opened the first week in October
Lillians, a women's clothing store, is owned and operated by Jane and Katlyn Lee, whose family also owns and operates the Garden Deli.
"The Lees continue to stay (downtown)," Brandt noted, "They could have gone anywhere."
The family's business expansion into women's clothing comes as a response to demand.
"Jane (Lee) told me, 'Women want to dress like a lady again,'" Brandt said.
The Pet Spot offers a local alternative to driving to the big city's big-box retailers by carrying everyday supplies and unique items for pets and their owners. Owner and operator Amber Ingvoldstad is a new retail owner, but she has more than 20 years in retail sales and customer service.
"Amber sees the potential here," Brandt said.
"Downtown continues to be the place to be," drawing business from other parts of the city and visitors from out of town, Brandt said. She attributes that draw to the sense of community downtown, where family, friends and neighbors meet.
Vapor Cigarettes moved downtown from the westside, and Hometown Grocery moved up from the southside.
Paul Mitchell - The School moved downtown from the west side of town last year, but held its grand opening celebration Oct. 6. The event drew the company's co-owner John Paul DeJoria and Winn Claybaugh, dean and cofounder of Paul Mitchell Schools, to town.
Their speeches felt "genuine," Brandt said, and incorporated the same sense of "love, respect and camaraderie" that she believes bonds the downtown businesses and residents.
Brandt pointed to the "co-op space" arrangements between Monroe Hair Removal Clinic and Bronze and Beautiful, and between Vapor Cigarettes and Monroe Floral Shop.
Another type of cooperative arrangement is the pending Monroe and Green County artisan specialties market, a shop expected to open in what was once a children's clothing store.
Some businesses have made changes, but the stores and services remain to fill the needs of downtown shoppers. Bloom Photography by Michele took over the location of Portraits by Dawn, and Café Claudine no longer serves lunches but remains open for catering and special events. Boomerang Bakery has begun specializing in decorated cakes and a choice of cinnamon rolls flavors.
Brandt said Monroe's downtown economic development benefits from the concerted efforts of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce, Green County Tourism, Green County Development Corporation and Main Street Monroe.
"Not all communities have these point people working together," she said.
Most of the changes are going on inside, as property owners and new retailers remodel their spaces, said Amy Brandt, executive director of Main Street Monroe.
"A lot of work goes into owning and operating your retail store downtown," Brandt said. "But whatever it takes, they're doing it."
Some retail spaces have had walls knocked out, and the high, tin ceilings, once so familiar to ancestors who shopped here, are being exposed again.
A few retail stores have closed in the past year, but Brandt said the spaces refilled quickly.
"There aren't a lot of empty store fronts (left) downtown," said Brandt.
Brand also said the city has been seeing a higher demand for living downtown.
The variety of stores that have come to the downtown commercial district shows retailers' response to the needs of their consumers today and their desire to be part of the downtown business community, according to Brandt.
Two of the most recent stores on the Square, Lillians of Monroe and The Pet Spot, opened the first week in October
Lillians, a women's clothing store, is owned and operated by Jane and Katlyn Lee, whose family also owns and operates the Garden Deli.
"The Lees continue to stay (downtown)," Brandt noted, "They could have gone anywhere."
The family's business expansion into women's clothing comes as a response to demand.
"Jane (Lee) told me, 'Women want to dress like a lady again,'" Brandt said.
The Pet Spot offers a local alternative to driving to the big city's big-box retailers by carrying everyday supplies and unique items for pets and their owners. Owner and operator Amber Ingvoldstad is a new retail owner, but she has more than 20 years in retail sales and customer service.
"Amber sees the potential here," Brandt said.
"Downtown continues to be the place to be," drawing business from other parts of the city and visitors from out of town, Brandt said. She attributes that draw to the sense of community downtown, where family, friends and neighbors meet.
Vapor Cigarettes moved downtown from the westside, and Hometown Grocery moved up from the southside.
Paul Mitchell - The School moved downtown from the west side of town last year, but held its grand opening celebration Oct. 6. The event drew the company's co-owner John Paul DeJoria and Winn Claybaugh, dean and cofounder of Paul Mitchell Schools, to town.
Their speeches felt "genuine," Brandt said, and incorporated the same sense of "love, respect and camaraderie" that she believes bonds the downtown businesses and residents.
Brandt pointed to the "co-op space" arrangements between Monroe Hair Removal Clinic and Bronze and Beautiful, and between Vapor Cigarettes and Monroe Floral Shop.
Another type of cooperative arrangement is the pending Monroe and Green County artisan specialties market, a shop expected to open in what was once a children's clothing store.
Some businesses have made changes, but the stores and services remain to fill the needs of downtown shoppers. Bloom Photography by Michele took over the location of Portraits by Dawn, and Café Claudine no longer serves lunches but remains open for catering and special events. Boomerang Bakery has begun specializing in decorated cakes and a choice of cinnamon rolls flavors.
Brandt said Monroe's downtown economic development benefits from the concerted efforts of the Monroe Chamber of Commerce, Green County Tourism, Green County Development Corporation and Main Street Monroe.
"Not all communities have these point people working together," she said.