Our community needs the weekend walking mall

Letter to the Mayor and Town Council:

My name is Arline Link with Explore Art & Clay @ The Kiln Doctor, located at 100 East 8th Street in Front Royal.

Watch this Royal Examiner video from this weekend. We at Explore Art & Clay @ The Kiln Doctor sponsored this week’s movie with Front Royal Cinemas, and encouraged other business to participate. I know there has been much discussion about closing Main Street. The below video of this weekend shows how much our community needs the weekend walking mall. I know we cannot please everyone, but coming together as a business community we can help support all the businesses in our town.

Those businesses who are not on Main Street need support as well as those that are. I have raised my voice from the first day of the closures in support of closing Main Street, but it needs to include all businesses. We did participate the first couple of weeks and did well, but as the weeks went on the heat was too much.

Setting up on Main Street is a lot of work, but it helped in promoting and putting a face to our business. If those businesses that are not on Main participated, even if it was once a month, to promote their business, it would help bring people back to their location. Not all businesses can do this, but even if they set up an information booth, it would help. Any business who is not doing anything to promote their business at this time unfortunately may not survive.

The battle of closing Main Street has been going on for many years. Right now we need to do everything we can to survive. I invite all businesses to come up with ideas, work with each other, agree to disagree and let’s move forward.

We need to keep Main Street closed not only to support the restaurants and businesses but to help keep people employed. We only have a couple of months left to be able to set up outside.

I saw the ghost town especially on the hot days. As a small business owner and part of Front Royal Independent Business Alliance, we have been here to support all businesses; Trying to find a way to help all our businesses. The above video shows that working together we can bring people to Main Street, locals as well as visitors. But I would also like to see an event for businesses throughout town to participate in from their location. Let’s have a town-wide celebration where businesses that are close to each other have mini block parties. Encourage people to travel through the town, visit the different locations and block party atmosphere.

The recent scavenger hunt was a a great start. As I went around helping to collect the gift certificates from businesses not on Main Street, they were very appreciative of being included. So when we decided to sponsor “The Greatest Showman”, we invited all businesses to participate. I tried to get word out through social media, email, Royal Examiner and the radio. I know I could not reach everyone, but those who wanted to came and joined us. As you can see from the video and various pictures on Facebook, everyone had a great time.

We appreciate the help we have received from the town through the grants and gift certificates. We as a small business had to change our business plan because of COVID-19. 80% of our business is through schools, universities, community centers and teaching facilities. So we know what it is to struggle and we had to come up with new ways to market our business.

We have supported local businesses and Main Street as much as we could during this time. By having and being a part of this event this past weekend, it shows everyone that with a little work, working together and supporting each other, we can get through this year. Hopefully this is the beginning of themed weekends such as the upcoming Art Walk hosted by Main Street Market and others.

We do need signage for parking. This should be a major priority especially now. I would like to see each and everyone of you come Downtown and show your support. Come and visit the many businesses throughout the town.

As for our Town Council, the Mayor and Town Manger, please consider listening to all the businesses, the community and our visitors. We cannot please everyone, but at least lets work towards a compromise.

Arline Link
The Kiln Doctor
Front Royal, Virginia