You’d think after the first of the year things would slow down a little for the Sumner Downtown Association, but in our office things seem to be ramping up. Many of our business members are setting their budgets and creating business plans for the year which include leveraging our downtown events and projects to network and increase exposure with the community and visitors alike.

During the past week I’ve met with two of our newest businesses to Main Street, the Silo and Main Street Salon, to talk about not only becoming SDA members (one of my favorite topics) but to also discuss how they can be more involved in the community. Truly, this is music to my ears.

If you haven’t yet seen where these businesses are located, the Silo is at 1005 Main St., between Folkart Gatherings and Art and Home Design. If you’ve been in Sumner a while, you might remember the location as Sharkey’s. The new owners are in the process of remodeling the interior while continuing to be open for business. The new name found its roots, so to speak, in Sumner’s agricultural history and the barns and silos found on many of the local farmlands. I met with Justin, the new manager, to get the scoop on their plans for the Silo and to get a tour of the new interior. New carpets and paint are just the beginning of the remodel as they wait for permit approval for structural changes and new signage. They also plan to update their menu to include more of a restaurant fare appealing to the lunch and dinner crowds.

Next it was on to speak with Caitlin at Main Street Salon. If you don’t know where the salon’s located, it’s at 1202 Main. Longtime Sumnerites will know the location as the old bus garage. But for current reference, it’s in the newly-remodeled building where Sumner Appliance, DeCaterina’s Jewelry, Northlight Interiors and Landmark Design are found, or across from Tiny’s Tire.

Those who know me know I’m pretty partial to the historic buildings downtown. I love the brick and stone facades, the architectural design and dental work, not to mention the interior craftsmanship of our Main Street gems. But I have to admit that the updated chic interior of the salon is pretty impressive. Everything from the color scheme to the contemporary furniture subtly informs visitors that our downtown can boast of 21st century amenities and the atmosphere is friendly, professional and upscale.

Anyone can inquire about becoming a member by visiting our Web site at www.sumnerdowntown.com. You can also view our 2010 calendar of events if you want to know what’s scheduled for downtown this year.

So as we prepare for our annual Sweetheart Wine Walk on Feb. 13, the SDA is thrilled to be signing up our new members and renewing our existing memberships that support and contribute to the unique experience that is found in our downtown.

A big thank you from SDA to all of you who make Sumner such a great place to spend some time.