QUINCY, Fla. (WCTV) – The downtown square in Quincy is seeing a boost, according to Quincy Main Street, and other businesses say they’re looking forward to the growth.

“The excitement is contagious,” Quincy Main Street President Crystle May said.

Quincy Elite Fitness just opened its gym Friday and a new retail store, Tobacco Barn Apparel, is also set to open near the corner of Washington and Madison Streets.

Across the square, Burned Beard Brewing opened last August. Owner Roger Rankin said they are grateful for the support and hope the square will continue to grow.

“It’s important for more businesses to move to the square here in Quincy and the area, because it gives people more options to come and do things while they’re here for the afternoon,” Rankin said. “More people coming to the area all the time is going to benefit everybody as a whole.”

May said a developer has also purchased a three-story building and it’s being renovated to become apartments and office space. She also mentioned the first African-American art museum in the state will soon be housed on the Quincy square.

Restaurants like Big Papa’s Chophouse have been downtown for the past four and a half years. “Since then, quite a few other restaurants and shops have opened up, and it’s just great to see the growth and the revitalization,” Owner Marilyn Owens said.

Bwembya’s Market is almost at the two-year mark, and owner Kena Bwembya said more business on the square has a positive effect on the local economy.

“Rising tide lifts all boats,” Bwembya said. “The walk-in traffic is very important and the more you have a variety of different types of establishments in the area, the better the walk-in traffic will be.”

May said she now gets complaints about not finding parking on the square, which she described as “a good problem to have.”

With PorchFest coming up on March 21, May said this is a thriving time for local businesses.

“It feels so wonderful. It’s something that so many of us thought we would never see again,” May said.

SOURCE