Emily Gowdey-Backus
September 16, 2019
Viewpoint
#ShopWoo during construction
By Emily Gowdey-Backus
General mayhem. That’s how many local residents are perceiving certain Worcester neighborhoods undergoing or slated to begin major construction projects.
Tune out the cacophony and look past the immediate interruption. These transformations are helping to realize the – gulp, yes I’ll say it – Worcester renaissance.
A bright future for the city to which we’re all committed exists, but it’s on the horizon and we’re journeying to that destination together. If we as a community are too inconvenienced by dust on our shoes or the time it takes to circle the block once more to find a parking spot, fewer of these commercial institutions on which we’ve come to rely, and which support Worcester’s identity, will endure the in-between.
Collectively, we must support the existing momentum as Worcester enters the next stage of its evolution.
In just 63 acres in the Canal District, you can find ramen and BBQ, vintage homewares and new fashion, a forest of succulents and taxidermy – even three apple pies for one dollar.
The chamber was one of many voices advocating for the relocation of the Red Sox Triple-A affiliate team to Worcester and helped determine the site of the future Polar Park within the Canal District. However, we must not let the neighborhood’s new identity be drowned out by what’s to come.
The Canal District has cultivated exceptional entrepreneurship and sparked similar commitment throughout Worcester. This dedicated group of business owners shared a vision of what could be when many simply drove through Kelley Square on a wing and a prayer.
Building on their vision, they’ve launched a successful farmer’s market, created one of the most Instagrammable shops west of Boston, and gave smaller-scale business owners a platform on which to thrive.
And their vision has caught on. Bedlam Books opened in the Crompton building in November; Stillman Quality Meats opened its doors in December; June saw the launch of Russo’s Italian Restaurant on Water Street marking an expansion of Lock 50 Owner Ed Russo’s footprint; and a creperie is slated for the former Weintraub’s deli.
Sparked by the district’s popularity, and building on its carbohydrate-rich history, Anthem Bagel began operations in May.
Speaking of breakfast foods, there’s no better, albeit wholesale, cup of coffee than neighboring Good As Gold Coffee Systems.
Long-standing Canal District institutions – such as Bocado Tapas Wine Bar and Joseph’s Lock and Safe Co. – are also buoyed by the renewed awareness.
On Main Street, we all mourned the loss of Elwood Adams Hardware, once the longest-operating hardware store in the nation, but the success of businesses such as Crust and North Main Provisions, Sweet Jane’s Designer Consignment, and AlphaGraphics are evidence Main Street has true commercial potential once again.
Drawing attention to the Heart of the Commonwealth, much of the real estate left empty from the fallout of the Great Recession has been swiftly purchased by housing developers. Mixed-rate apartments at 332 Main St. went on the market earlier this summer.
One of the most anticipated projects is the new residence at the former Worcester Courthouse building funded by Trinity Financial out of Boston.
Bookended by housing, Main Street will soon be a cultural showcase of the City of Worcester.
At the intersection of Highland and Main streets, the former Worcester Courthouse building will welcome the public to view an exhibit detailing the life and achievements of famed Worcester cyclist Marshall Walter “Major” Taylor.
Such award-winning institutions as Armsby Abbey and deadhorse hill also call Main Street home. Their menus reflect an understanding of local and international cuisine emulated in only a handful of the world’s culinary destinations.
What’s old is once again new at Worcester Auditorium as residents awaits the official plans for the World War I memorial from the city.
And the thoroughfare still has properties whose new uses have yet to be secured – namely, the Boys Club at the head of Lincoln Square.
Tying together the diversity of Main Street commerce is the Downtown Business Improvement District. Tasked with cultivating an 18-hour downtown and representing more than 130 business owners, the nonprofit was approved by the city in November, launched earlier this year, and recently employed an armada of placemaking ambassadors throughout downtown who help beautify the city.
While not all of these anchor businesses are chamber members, the chamber’s pursuit here, and everyday, is to lift the business community as a whole and encourage residents of this city and beyond to continue to support local entrepreneurship.
Don’t let the construction change the direction of your feet. Brave the congestion and detours – it might just lead to a new favorite Worcester destination.
Building off the rousing remarks delivered by Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito at the Polar Park groundbreaking, this is a call to arms to sustain Worcester businesses through the journey. Their momentum has sparked the revitalization and awareness in which we revel today.
Take up your phones – and wallets! – and share your purchases and experiences with #ShopWoo. Use this hashtag as a badge of honor to show off your support of the city we all call home.
Emily Gowdey-Backus is director of communications for the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.
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