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A couple of my favorite local small businesses were inside Point Park Marketplace until recently, and I was glad to learn they have simply moved to other locations. But it is jarring to see the place closed up and read the city administration plans to winterize the facility.
Parkersburg officials might be best served to find a buyer -- it would be off the city's list of worries, and a private entrepreneur could have a bit more flexibility in taking advantage of that fantastic building and location.
It was a noble experiment, but perhaps a lesson in the pitfalls of believing when government dips its toes into the business sector, it can give employers any advantage in navigating the challenges of serving their customers and keeping their heads above water. I'll give them credit for giving it a shot; but I also suspect the solid businesses that have found other homes since the marketplace's closure will be just fine.
Maka Mia Pizza franchise owner Marvin Edwards made an important point in that regard. His new location is not very far from the marketplace because "a lot of city employees are our customers." Yes, city, state and federal employees, bank employees, those working in law firms (or newspapers) … downtown is filled with potential customers for a business like his -- from approximately 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Only a few remain downtown on either side of those rush hours, or the weekend.
THAT is where government can make a difference.
Forget about returning to the good old days of shoppers wandering the streets downtown amid brightly lit shops and theaters -- busy in the evenings, busy on the weekends … nearly impossible to navigate as Christmas approached. The world doesn't work that way anymore.
It's time to think ahead instead of looking behind; aim for something new. Downtown will not look like it does in black and white photos from the middle of the last century. Maybe it will look like something even better for our community.
Rather than try to help by providing subsidies or acting as landlord (serving as incubators for businesses that then close or vacate to other locations), city government can look toward what will truly make a difference for potential employers -- tax and regulatory change, just as we continually seek from state government.
In the meantime, however, I want to share an idea that popped into my head after I read the word "winterize" in Friday's story about the marketplace: What about a Christmas market?
I'm not talking about rentors who would have to sign a lease for a year; I'm talking about vendors who might pay a fee for space for six weeks. Maybe they would pay another fee for utility usage. It should be possible to find local shops and other retailers who want to expand their footprint during the holiday season with a small space to which they are not committed long-term.
We've all been to Christmas markets in other (often larger) cities. They are beautiful and usually bustling.
And, frankly, any potential buyer for the building might be better persuaded if taken on a tour when the place is still in full use.
But that's just one idea. The possibilities are endless; and all of Parkersburg is looking forward to finding out what's next.
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Christina Myer is executive editor of The Parkersburg News and Sentinel. She can be reached via e-mail at cmyer@newsandsentinel.com