DOWNTOWN
grew, downtown became less important. By
1985, when the downtown movie theater
closed, retail stores became vacant reminders of
what once was the heart of the community.
But that was to change, thanks to another
visionary, Robert L. Brackett. Brackett came to
town with his family in 1947. At age 26, he and
his wife, Sandy, opened Merchant Credit Bureau
in 1960. He did it with funding created by selling
$100 shares of stock to 26 downtown business
owners who would use his services, including
George and Alma Lee Loy, Bill Wodtke Jr., John
Schumann and others. His business struggled
at first but eventually grew in significance and
success well beyond Vero Beach.
With visions of a return to the downtown of
his youth, when people knew and cared about
each other, Brackett began purchasing properties
old county courthouse and others. He made
major investments to restore these properties
to their former glory. Theatre Plaza opened on
Oct. 26, 1991, but it would be two years before
the first retail tenant signed up. Other investors
followed his lead and began restoring downtown
the downtown district is thriving, not as it once
was, but enough to bring smiles to all those who
shared its loving memories. F
This article draws quotes from interviews and
conversations over 30 years.
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