The owners of Bronze Owl Brewing are moving their Poplar Bluff micro-brewery from a hobby location into a downtown storefront.
The location was chosen after polling fans of their beer at events, the men said Thursday night at a Turnaround Downtown community meeting.
There is a generation of millennials that has never seen a thriving downtown and they crave the authentic experience offered by these historic sections of a city, agreed presenter Keith Winge, from the non-profit Missouri Main Street.
"Downtown is the heart of our community. Downtown Poplar Bluff cannot be found anywhere else in the world. As a community we need to protect that," said Winge, who helps cities create plans for downtown improvements.
It is an area that can be a liability or an asset to economic development, he said. An area where every empty storefront is lost revenue for the city and community, he continued.
One fear among potential businesses is that city hall could leave the downtown area, said Michael White, a co-owner of Bronze Owl, which was recently approved for a liquor license at a restaurant on Vine Street.
After making several commitments to keeping city hall downtown, the city council has recently held closed session meetings concerning a new location outside of downtown.
City manager Mark Massingham has promised a public meeting will be held on the topic before a decision is made. He has said the council is looking for the most economical choice.
The discussion is making potential businesses hesitate, said White.
"Their fear is ... the city's moving to the other side (of town)," he said. "They don't want to invest their money in what they think is the downside slope of no recovery."
It is a decision that would hurt current and future business, Winge said. "I'm going to say it bluntly, if city hall moves from downtown, it's a very strong message that they've given up on downtown," he said.
The effort to revive the area has been underway for a long time, said resident Jim Chrisman, who asked why more progress hasn't been seen.
Winge said he couldn't speak to the past efforts.
But his organization has had more contact with current Downtown Poplar Bluff Director Jerrica Fox in the past six months, than with the group in the past six years, Winge said.
There has never been a consistent relationship with current property and business owners, said Fox.
"In my opinion, that's the biggest issue. I can't help promote bringing business downtown if I don't know what's available to bring them to," she said, adding her goal is to change this.
Missouri Mainstreet is part of the National Mainstreet organization, which advocates for a comprehensive approach to downtown revival. The national program is currently working with more than 2,000 communities.
It requires public and private investment, Winge said, with a group like Downtown Poplar Bluff helping facilitate ways for these entities to work together.
"It's the people working together that really makes the difference," Winge said.
Communities that get caught up in rifts and being territorial are not as successful, he said.
Some business owners are concerned about the limitations historic preservation places on their ability to renovate and make repairs, White said.
It is important to distinguish between historic preservation and the enforcement of city codes that make structures safe, Winge said.
Education of potential businesses is important, ensuring they know before moving into a building that their plan matches what can be done, according to Winge. This is another area where the Downtown Poplar Bluff can be important, he said.
Historic areas also attract heritage travelers, who spend 2.5 times as much money as other visitors, visit more places and stay longer, he explained.
There also needs to be an effort by the city to enforce codes and hold property owners accountable, he said.
Poplar Bluff Dr. Bob Dever was among a small group of community members attending the event.
Born and raised at Fisk, Mo., Dever said he attended because he wants to see a revitalized downtown.
While other growth in the city is needed, Dever said, downtown shouldn't be forgotten.