>> And then there was a time when things kind of slow down and we didn't really have a whole lot on the square like we're getting back to that.

>> A downtown square in Southcentral, Kentucky is seeing renewed activity and interest but more than a dozen new businesses in the last few years.

>> It has like continues to have different cycles of revitalization in a really exciting way.

And this current one is a really big one for us.

How art and asphalt.

We are bringing new life to one Kentucky City.

We are super proud of the fact that we have the first barrel of bourbon produced in the county says before prohibition and see how joining the Bourbon Trail has led this town to new paths.

Production of Kentucky Edition is made possible in part by the KET Endowment for Kentucky Productions.

The owner Press Endowment for Public Affairs and the KET Millennium Fund.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> Good evening and welcome to a special episode of Kentucky edition.

I'm Casey Parker Bell filling in for Renee Shaw.

Tonight we're highlighting our series Mondays on Maine.

>> Over the past several months, we have travel to cities across the state showcasing downtown revitalization efforts.

Our little Rodgers starts us off with a trip to Russell.

>> The seat of Logan County and the city that celebrates its 200 and 25th birthday this year.

>> On a summer stroll on Main Street in downtown Russellville.

>> What kind of comfort to Mayberry Mayor Mark Stratton is a lifelong resident.

>> My dad had a business here back in the 60's.

And so I can remember when downtown was booming every day.

Was a big gap is a big outing for us kids and other kids when they got to come to.

>> The big city of Russellville.

>> Things may look a little different these days, but Russellville is still home to lots of activity, including boutiques, restaurants and bed and breakfasts.

>> When there's a good pattern of >> being able to eat and shop and visit and entertain all in the same area.

I think that just creates a whole atmosphere.

And that's that's really what we're hoping to be able to accomplish.

Isn't that unfair?

>> Part of that atmosphere revolves around the historic nature of the city.

>> Here in Russell really reaching a lot of history that we want to preserve.

>> According to the Chamber of Commerce, downtown is home to more than 200 businesses.

Since the pandemic.

I would say there's been a huge transfer that shop local and the small business here at the chamber.

We're really trying to emphasize that we say put your money where your heart is.

And there's room for more merchants to invest in the community.

The Logan Economic Alliance for Development is looking for new tenants to take over old buildings so we have been able to highlight about 11 properties that are downtown.

>> That we would really love to see some activity.

We've already started to see a little activity on one and of square.

And we have an investor there that is interested in helping us achieve our goal and is already looking into bringing possibly restaurant, maybe some office space.

And we're really hoping that that starts to move us forward in the right direction.

City leaders say there's been renewed interest in recent years for downtown revitalization.

>> I think downtown Russell, you know, is I'm all over the years like all downtowns.

>> In 2021, a group came together with the common goal of attracting more commerce and foot traffic.

>> There are a new committee was formed and that stands for revitalize, encourage and nurture, energize and welcome.

So those are our goals for what we're trying to do to our downtown area here in Russell and actually all over Logan County.

We've got a well-rounded group of individuals that all >> have like-minded in Tristyn's is improvement in the county and the city specifically.

>> It's not just Main Street seeing more enterprise, but intersecting 4th street.

The small grocery store was purchased by new new owner and they completely revitalized it.

We had a hold home that's been purchased and revitalize and they're about to open as a new restaurant.

We have the loft, which a huge renovations to their venue.

It's an event venue.

>> Steenburgen says, well, she looks forward to seeing more progress.

She's proud of the work already accomplished.

>> When you come into our downtown area, you know that you're in Russellville and you really see the beauty in it.

>> Now we head over to Mount Sterling, the seat of Montgomery County to see how a decades long revitalization project has brightened up their downtown Main Street.

>> This downtown area has really just taken off in the last decade.

You know, a group of people came together and and just look at our downtown, which we've got a great downtown.

We always have that just said we can do better.

We can start doing small things to just try to make noticeable impacts downtown.

>> So in 2010, a small building came came up for sell.

It been unoccupied since 1997. and I was able to purchase that building is and that sort of started my.

>> Love for.

>> The downtown and I was able to refurbish that there was only to businesses that did survive more than 3 years in downtown.

And every the building was basically bank it unless you are a lawyer or a And so we were trying to figure out how can we improve our downtown?

Make it more user friendly walkable for growth.

We need economic growth.

You you cannot be successful as a solo business.

So you have to have other businesses to support you.

>> I love my story of how I came to Mount Sterling came for a visit and we were coming through TAM and we've got stopped at the traffic light and I looked to my right, which is the building that I'm in now.

It was empty when down.

And I said, oh, >> look at that fielding.

It is beautiful.

It would make a beautiful bridal store.

I lived in Florida.

And an established bridal store, REI, Custom Design, all of my wedding gowns.

my has was like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

This is your first time to tail.

Haha.

But I fell in love with the town immediately and all the warm welcoming people about 3 years later, opened up in a scrabble here in Mount Sterling and no regrets whatsoever.

>> We have as a city offered small business facade grants and then so we have for those grants to help businesses here in the city.

Fix up the outside of the business of the weather to paint job a new window door.

Maybe it's a new sign.

But to make their business more inviting, some people want to come in.

And so over the last 10 years, we've really just saying so much excitement for people to want to join together and do what they can to make this community grow the streets and million dollar straight.

We came in.

We did the water lines, sewer lines, a new gas lines.

This whole street skate planted flowers, redid the sidewalks and look what it's done.

Businesses now want to invest here.

They want to have a business on the street this coffee shop.

I mean, wow.

What a what the great impact to our downtown area to have this wonderful coffee shop here.

>> It is not the same >> That I'm Open.

My bridal store in 6 years ago.

the businesses just KET.

Coming and coming better.

And the reason why we're able to do that is because there's a strong heartbeat here in our suite, beautiful town to shop local support the local and to really, really back us.

And so we couldn't do without them.

>> Mount Sterling is most popular festivity is court days.

A 220 year-old tradition that draws thousands downtown.

Kentucky cities are all decked out for the holidays.

Glasgow, the seat of Barron County has the longest evening Christmas parade in the state attracting spectators from across the region or Rodgers takes us there.

>> 50 and Tracy is a barren county native and 2020.

She opened routes and ramble in downtown Glasgow.

I do just love the feel of downtown for >> It just seemed like the right fit and the right atmosphere in the right building.

Crazy joins more than a dozen new businesses that have opened downtown in the past 5 years.

We have an ice cream shop.

Now we have a bakery now that has fresh baked goods every morning we've got.

>> A bar Cade drinking game.

We've got a pajama, an intimate store who would have ever thought Pasco would have had head.

That growth mindset was really, really honed in on downtown.

A lot of that energy was downtown McLean lesson very returned to her hometown after college to lead tourism efforts.

Plus, those proximity to attractions like Mammoth Cave and Barren River Lake.

>> Helps draw visitors.

I felt like Costco always had a lot of potential.

I always really wanted to come back here and help be part of turning that potential into real growth city.

And county governments say they've been actively working together to create an atmosphere that's conducive to downtown development to save a lot of people invest in our square.

>> And the downtown businesses and really invest like I upgrade the facilities.

We've got more air B and bays than we've ever had.

>> And Judge executive Jamie Bewley Bird currently in the first year of her first term.

Also grew up here.

I've just always loved Barron County.

We have a beautiful plaza right here on the square.

The Plaza theater dates back to the 1930's, many credit, its renovation and early 2, thousands with the beginning of downtown revitalization.

Those concerts bring people in from out of town.

They bring people from here that have moved way back home.

New marketing materials for the city drawn.

The pride in Glasgow, Scottish heritage.

We've put up new banners with our new branding.

>> So the banners are starting to go up.

So when you come to the city square, you know, you're in Glasgow and, you know, we have a Scottish heritage.

We have that harden across it.

Nash, 23, 7, a radio personality.

Kelly McKay host, the shop local show.

We appreciating small businesses the chance to co-host the hour and it creates a relationship with my co-host and our community.

Our neighbors and our friends own these businesses and >> whenever you're supporting local, you're helping the Little league team.

You are helping our local economy.

Retailers are working together this holiday season to draw shoppers downtown.

A lot of the small shops of collaboratively done our Christmas 7 houses together downtown as well as having the light of Glasgow.

We stayed open lighter and then small business.

Saturday was a huge Saturday for us.

It always is to be in a >> such a great support of community like Marin County, where our local people really show up and show out for small businesses encouraging them to do downtown area.

That is walkable with lots of parking.

I really would like to see this expanded downtown area.

>> Walking opportunities, shops, restaurants.

Part of that expansion is in the works.

Now with the approval of a new Justice Center on Main Street.

You're going to see about a 40 some million dollar building go up here about maybe 4 blocks from his building.

So we're going to expand even the downtown area.

Right now.

The focal point of downtown is the Christmas display.

I love Christmas and I love being able to take my kids and let them see the lights these awesome things.

And as a parent, I know what I appreciate and I know what I want to do.

And I think that that's what we're trying to offer here in Bexar County.

The city is added 15,000 lights to this where this year creating a festive community-centered atmosphere.

And it's just really nice to say so many people at an event, whether it's a concert downtown and seeing those people coming out and supporting local.

>> We now head to the southern edge of the Bluegrass region today and fill the seat of Boyle County.

It's home to well-known institutions like center college.

The Pioneer Playhouse and the Art Center of the Bluegrass, which is undergoing a major expansion.

City leaders hope that the expansion along with a large streetscape project will help drive business in today.

>> Well, the past decade to daybell's really.

It's actually not change that much.

It's not chains like a lot of other cities have which I think is actually a good We've we kept our character that we've always had but now it's poised to change a lot.

The city built the downtown master plan started in 2019, but a big emphasis on the downtown master plan was.

It almost expand our taking it up a little bit to create more inventory because there's that there is a there's a demand for space.

We did a project we thought would really attract.

Will people downtown.

>> For me, it's a town of 9 lives.

It has like continues to have different cycles of revitalization in a really exciting way.

And this current one is a really big one for us.

Our Main Street seems like it's been decades since we've been as exuberant as we are right now.

So we bought this building about 20 years ago from the city.

The city purchased it back from us with 100 year lease one dollar a year.

The city has been a pretty amazing partner to us.

We just purchased the building next door to us, which is another than full building.

And we had the same set up with the city again with the expansion over into the new building.

This space is turning into the National Class Museum.

One of the things are really excited being the arts and the grass right here in downtown Danville is we are amongst some amazing restaurants and shops and businesses here that support the local community and really make it a thriving economic center for Kentucky.

>> We are an Italian restaurant, but we're also entire restaurant and the heart of Kentucky.

So we do a lot of your classics like you're going to find your spaghetti and meatballs Cheney, Alfredo, some things of that sort opening in Danville, specifically, there was really no other option for We had talked to a few different places and looked at some buildings and we're like, let's just stay home the way that Gamble accepted as that kopernick with open arms and they supported us.

We decided that we were definitely going to do it here.

>> To make this project 6, as you know, we're we're going to need the whole community to be on board with.

Reinvigorating downtown you know, there has disrupted business just the whole project.

I mean, we were we rebuilt the entire main core of downtown.

You know, we we kept businesses doors open weekend traffic flowing.

>> So since being here and I'm being a business owner in downtown.

It doesn't come without its hardships.

He now has anyone has been able to look around.

We've been under construction for a while.

Though that has had its growing pains.

We see that so many people are coming back and they're complementing the work that's happening and and watching the restaurant scene explode in the small businesses.

If you look downtown along, we have a new to take that's about to open this week.

Actually and another restaurant that's coming in a couple of months.

And so that growth and seen so many people from outside of ample come in and they're like, wow, this place has changed since 15 years ago or 20 years ago.

It's great to know that we are a part of that progress in pushing forward.

>> Now to southern Kentucky into the seat of Allen County.

Scots will.

It is home to a team of creatives who are transforming their community.

Laura Rogers introduces us to 2 young professionals who are helping to lead the way.

>> To Oliver has a graphic design degree from Georgetown College.

She returned home to Scottsville to open a boutique branding and design studio and 2019, the first handful of clients where Scott's full people people I KET.

And so it was a way for me to invest back in my community.

>> That same year, Seth grades opened Magnolia and a steal on West Main Street.

It's always been a dream of mine to own my own business.

>> As Allen County natives both wanted to use their time and talents to better their community.

I was warning rice here.

Scott has always been home.

So I KET that I wanted to stay local to my hometown.

>> Really?

The dream was to just have a space.

>> That I could beautify for my hometown kind of set an expectation of what things could look like or be.

Oliver signed the lease on that space, her current office and studio on the Scottsville Square and March of 2020.

When the world was going home.

I was leaving home.

Scott's was full of great talent.

Much of that talent to make South the heart of Scottsville.

A group that promotes the development and success of the downtown area.

Last 10 years.

It's been a significant change in the way it was.

Part of that is due to the group's beautification efforts and a streetscape project that began about 25 years ago.

The facades of the buildings are gorgeous.

When I was a kid, it was just like concrete jungle.

There was nothing pretty.

They are.

And so to see all of the trees >> the plants in the flowers that bloom with every season, it's been a really neat process to watch happen.

>> The heart of Scottsville meets monthly to discuss their goals and vision and to plan events that draw people downtown bars.

Friday is a huge thing that the heart puts on Friday of every month.

We close down the school year.

It's a huge vendor event, food trucks, tons of people come out and support.

It's just a really, really awesome night.

Oliver and Graves say the group's involvement with Kentucky Main Street and Main Street America has been helpful and it's grown.

The foundation is already there.

So it's not like we're starting with nothing.

We're able to utilize those resources use processes that have worked and been successful in other small towns.

>> And implement those things here.

>> Scott School Square is also home to the Allen County Farmers Market Open twice a week to support growers and producers and to give more opportunities for residents to shop local.

The scottsville community is a very tight-knit >> community.

When you >> come here, you're going to community that support one another.

Well.

>> The heart of Scottsville extends that supports encouraging a healthy economy and the success of entrepreneurs.

>> Scott's was always been a place for small businesses to thrive.

There are lots of generationally island businesses here.

>> And both business owners say they hope Scottsville continues to thrive for generations to come building on the work they're doing now.

>> Just a dream.

extremely thankful to be around it.

>> We head west on I-64 to Shelbyville and Shelby County, the city is sometimes referred to as the settle bread capital of the world.

But city leaders say they hope to capitalize on a different industry.

It's also well known in Kentucky.

>> Up lived in Shelbyville my entire life of in born and raised here, obviously and we have such a great fadel this community that I'm very proud of.

And we have spent a lot of time and efforts on revitalizing the downtown as well.

We currently have many grants matching grants available to a lot of our buildings that are that have been vacant and we've been able to put those in place for young entrepreneurs, people that have interest in building a business and coming down Pat.

>> City show the bill as well.

Shelby County, he's kinda undergone kind of a big change because we were primarily large agricultural county, tobacco and dairy in both of those have kind of gone away and in the same time they went away is the distillery industry has really stepped in.

Shelby County, you see the couple really nice to still raise moving in.

There's more coming.

Great benefit to the county were supporting local agriculture and we sure make a great product.

>> Well, the county in the city of both play very important roles for us as we were of started this distilleries were not allowed in the county.

They were allowed to be built.

So we work very closely with the county and the city, both to get ordinance is set up to allow distilleries to even exist.

And I'm at we've actually for starting this.

The county was actually dry or moist, you know, so we weren't going to be able to sell our products.

So the city worked very closely said that that beginning time frame allow us to get annexed into the city so that we could have our gift shop and sell our products and be part of the Bourbon Trail and be a tourism destination.

So the county and the city of both been very great to work with being a stop on the Bourbon Trail is something that impacts our downtown people.

Stay here in our Airbnbs.

So we have at least 7 of them right on our Main Street in our local right down town.

>> And so when people are coming, they're staying here and then they're venturing out.

So whether that's to Jeff, there are bullet or they're going outside Shelby County, we become kind of that that It also brings in a lot of money.

Some people are saying here they're using the Airbnbs, but then they're eating or they might be going shopping, you know, said their the impact on the economic side of things is really pretty huge.

And it's great.

So they get to come in and have a great time and enjoy what we have a good ring.

Suburban have really get on there.

But then we're they're also benefiting our community.

And so much goes back into what we're doing to develop downtown and Shelby County.

>> I'm actually the local farm Bureau insurance Guy.

And I can tell you, we're ensuring a lot of Airbnbs now and what kind of need about their B and B's in Shelby County in Shelbyville is they all or kind of different and they all have their own different Flay are and they're all different style.

So it's kind of cool.

You get a really nice selection of what what are you looking for?

An air in regards to the economic development.

>> It is a juggling act.

I'm a firm believer in having smart growth.

It is important that we KET that small town charm, if you will.

I think that's what makes us most appetizing.

And with all the different things that we have in Shelby County here in Shelbyville, we are of really good destination for people.

And we're very proud of that.

>> The city of Fayetteville is best known for its annual Woolly warm festival.

But the woolly worms aren't the only thing undergoing a metamorphosis as the city works to revitalize and beautify its downtown streetscape.

>> When I think about Main Street in that position, it entails businesses, buildings and beautification.

We support businesses.

We recruit businesses, buildings.

We are part of the Kentucky Heritage Council and Historic Preservation and we are currently working on a historic district on nomination for and Main Street in downtown and then beautification.

You know, we want things to look pretty.

So it's pretty we attract new businesses.

Interest to the area baiting a lot different than when I was growing up here.

>> Everything but done like specially last.

He hears is really made it a unique space, an actual walkable Main Street.

I think that has a lot to do with what the feel of Townies before there was electric Ryan's electric poles on the sidewalks lines overhead.

It feels like a town with that streetscape project.

It gave us new sidewalks, Nuland post landscaping beds.

It took all of our wiring and utilities underground.

So we had.

Pretty nice treats.

Now we're just trying to, you shift our focus again and look at it and 3 anchor projects that we have going on in town.

You've got right here at the end of camp near City Hall.

It is the WPA building and the WPA building was built, not paying.

39 that the works.

Project Works Progress Administration, the city has owned that building.

>> It's been vacant for about 6 We plaid applied for the Brownfields cleanup grant and this is for patients.

>> Really came into play.

We have planned for that grant 4 times 3 times.

We were kind of a home 3 times we could have gave up.

But we didn't we have plastic in.

And the first time we won our grant.

So we've got a half a million dollars to clean that movement and restore the inside and the interiors.

We'd love to see if we can look at Main Street and or something like that.

>> There's an investor right now that has purchased our elementary school.

And his goal is to turn it into a multi use space, including watching.

What that's going to look like.

We're not sure really excited, though.

He's he's a almost got engineered plans on exactly what it plans to be with his investors when he does turn that into a multi-use space with lodging, I think that's going to really help to people staying downtown being able to walk down the street and having an events in the evening.

Another project anchor project and that we have down Pan is the town Square.

>> Project we applied for a mail plant life and among land grant.

To build the town square, a place in the center of town.

We're a community can come together.

We could host events have live music, you know, and it helps some evening market markets.

And we got that grant and the town square him under construction and helped hopefully will be.

Dan, thanks.

Keeping that this year, the infrastructures mainly done and in these anchor projects that the city is working on and investors are working on at the school in the town square, in WPA, building.

>> People will see opportunity it in the middle of all those projects and then private investment.

Well, start to happen.

More for us.

So 20 years in the making.

And here we are, we're seeing some really good things happen because of it.

>> We hope you'll join us again tomorrow night at 6.30, Easter Five-thirty Central for Kentucky.

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