The San Marcos Main Street Program hosted its 2017 Love Downtown awards Nov. 18, at the Hays County Historic Courthouse. The event honors local downtown businesses that have had an impact on the community and helped to make downtown more vibrant.
Josie Falletta, Main Street Program board coordinator, explained some of the awards distributed.
“With a lot of the businesses here there’s a lot of great range,” Faletta said. “We celebrate a new business of the year, we also celebrate a legend business of the year, that means ten plus years operating in San Marcos.”
Four varied local residents and businesses took home awards. The first was Clay DeStafano, for volunteer of the year. DeStafano, a life-long resident and volunteer, serves as the executive director of The Price Center, a communal event location downtown.
The second award went to the Downtown Association, for its economic work downtown for Partner of the year. Blue Dahlia Bistro, which celebrated its grand opening on the square this past July, won for new business of the year.
Ault & Ault Orthodontics, which has been owned and operated over 40 years by Stanley Ault and his wife Ruth, took home the legendary business award. Lastly, Bloom Bar, a florist shop, was opened by owner Kayli Head last year and took home the award for business of the year.
The Main Street Program which oversees downtown, has a four-point objective plan. Designing a downtown that enhances its visual and historic qualities, restructuring downtown’s economic assets while diversifying it, building partnerships with organizations and community groups, as well as promoting a positive image of downtown.
Kevin Burke, economic development, and downtown administrator, introduced the award ceremony and celebrated the work of businesses and restaurants downtown.
“We’re here to celebrate what makes downtown unique, what makes downtown special,” Burke said. “This is a great opportunity on a perfect night like this to get our city and our stakeholders together to have a great time and recognize some of the businesses that are doing great work to make downtown San Marcos a really special place”
The awards ceremony was attended by the Main Street program board, several members of the city council, Mayor Thommaides and longtime business owners and San Marcos residents.
Lisa Prewitt, Council Member Place 1, encouraged the work the Main Street Program is doing.
“It’s really a celebration of what we have for the vision of downtown and I think Main Street has done an amazing job,” Prewitt said. “Everyone is a winner downtown.”