We Are Downtown

By Matt Weafer
Greater Owensboro Business Magazine Messenger-Inquirer

As advocates of the future of downtown Owensboro, We Are Downtown is a group of business owners and downtown residents that meets monthly to discuss promoting downtown businesses and events, and to encourage the growth of the area.

Patty Acquisto, chair of We Are Downtown and owner of Patti’s Place, said, “What our organization is trying to do is promote the businesses that are here and encourage other businesses to consider downtown.”

When Acquisto opened Patti’s Place at 105 W. 2nd St., more than two years ago, she spent some time walking around downtown, meeting with other business owners and talking about how to improve business.

“I just started organizing and talking to other people,” she said. “The few of us got together and we grew from there.”

Members of We Are Downtown band together to promote various downtown events, such as the Holiday Stroll during the Christmas holiday season in 2008, which Acquisto said was a huge success.

“You would be amazed at the people who come into my shop here on Saturdays and say, ‘We just drove down from Bardstown, Jasper, E-town, or Henderson,’” she said. “That’s what people do. The first place they go is downtown. We try to have something for them when they get downtown. We make sure that they know about Memories on Main, The Crown, the restaurants and the coffee shop.”

“Downtown is the heart and soul of Owensboro and Daviess Co.,” she said.

Members of We Are Downtown are currently preparing for the eighth-annual Bluegrass Returns to its Roots on April 2, 3 and 4. Musicians will perform at the RiverPark Center, the Bluegrass Museum and other venues, including local retailers.

Some of the performers not scheduled to appear at any of the shows will be performing at different businesses such as the Famous Bistro and The Crème.

Acquisto said they are expecting at least 1,000 people for the weekend of music.

We Are Downtown meets the last Tuesday of every month in the Commerce Center at 5 p.m. Anyone interested in promoting downtown is welcome.

We Are Downtown Active Members:
Chair: Patti Acquisto
Chair-Elect: Charlie Schertzinger
Secretary: Renee Beasley Jones
Treasurer: George Skiadas
David Atkinson
Rodney Berry
Bob Bowers
Martha Clark
Larry Conder
Rosemary Conder
Sy Deane
Sue Fowler
Kim Johnson
Bruce Kunze
Carole Mac Quarrie
Karen Miller
Murry Morris
Ava Morris
Kathy Olson
Joel Osborne
Larry Peech
Fred Reeves
Gavin Roberts
Becky Stone
Russ Wilkey
Jim Zabek

Reprinted with permission from Messenger-Inquirer, Owensboro, Ky.