Occasionally, you just need to shake things up a bit. On August 13, Southtown’s regular monthly AM Networking took a whole new approach – a block-wide open house. Initiated by the interest of one business owner - Willa Robinson of Willa’s Books & Motif – in the end, more than a dozen of the small businesses on the block agreed to participate. Stores opened early, from 8 to 10am, with each offering coffee, juice and pastries to the many Southtowners who stopped by to get acquainted. It was the original hope that the event would encourage folks to see the great mix of new businesses in the block, and the tremendous improvements done by property and shop owners there. While that goal was certainly achieved, the event brought about a second, equally important result. “Some of us have been on this block for ten, twenty years,” said one shop owner. “But we’ve never come outside our own doors to get to know the other business people. This has done that. It’s been great.” If you missed this event, take some time to drop in and see the many new shops along Troost Ave.
