DOWNTOWN
DOWNTOWN MEETS
ECONOMY’S CHALLENGES
Many businesses adapt to survive the recession
BY SUSAN BURGESS
When the economy handed historic downtown
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Fort Pierce a bag of lemons, the merchants
plucked up their courage and turned it into their
own sweet lemonade. Their creativity paid off.
Networking and brainstorming, word of mouth, and
unique products and services fueled downtown businesses
during the economic downturn.
The historic business section of the 110-year-old city survived,
and with construction of the new federal courthouse
and restoration of 138 slips at the city marina coming on line
SUSAN BURGESS
in the next couple of years, the merchants are optimistic.
“I think we’re going to be doing better and better,” said Doris
Tillman, manager of Main Street of Fort Pierce, who keeps
her ear to the ground with frequent visits to businesses.
Main Street just received word that for the second year in a
row it is among the top 10 Main Street finalists in the running
for a national award for excellence.
“The downtown did OK during the recession, and even
though some businesses closed, others opened,” Tillman said.
“You have to look at the balance.”
Most who left did so for reasons that go beyond the
economy, Doris Tillman said.
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Attractive restored and painted buildings in the historic area of downtown Fort Pierce include a mix of retail shops, restaurants and offices.