by Ann Herron

GUEST COLUMNIST

Here's a sincere question: Do downtown businesses want our business?

Sometimes it doesn't seem like they do.

Last summer, during the very popular Fridays on Vine concert series, many downtown businesses stayed closed. Some businesses in the downtown area don't even post their hours of operation. And many that are open only stay open until 7 p.m.

Recognizing downtown needed a little leadership to get going, merchants formed the Downtown Alliance to support businesses in the area. But after more than three years of work, the Downtown Alliance is in need of some revitalization itself.

Just last month, the alliance put out a public appeal for volunteers, and more interest and excitement in the downtown area. But when I attended a Downtown Alliance meeting earlier this month, there were a total of three non-business people in attendance -- and two of those were from the city.

With a new chairman, Russ Hammond, maybe the Downtown Alliance will set some concrete goals and be able to recruit the volunteers it needs to accomplish revitalization projects.

This is not saying our few brave downtown business owners need to become like big-box stores.

Part of the allure of a small downtown is just that -- it's small and personal. And we appreciate these merchants' efforts to do business in an area that is accessible and more convenient than driving over the mountain.

Some of the blame for downtown's lack of vitality should be placed on building owners, who at times have done little to improve the value of their properties or even made them affordable to rent. What value is there in leaving a property empty? There are plenty of entrepreneurs in Tooele. Maybe property owners could tie rent to a new business' success. Cheap rent the first year while you get started. Then as the store grows, the rent could increase.

Tooele City took a step and hired Bim Oliver, an urban renewal specialist, to create a blueprint. What happened to the excitement his plan created? We don't want to see his good ideas -- and the city's money -- go to waste.

There are a lot of ideas and many options for our downtown. Let's hope with new energy and leadership the revitalization effort can go forward.

Ann Herron is a journalist and former associate professor at Utah State University who lives in Tooele. She can be reached at annherron@comcast.net.