Local leaders highlight downtown openings as vacancy counts shrink

Board members outlined a string of recent and imminent downtown openings and said vacancy numbers have dropped to roughly five storefronts on a current list. The chair said: "Branchstone shoes. Mi Familia, Posh Boutique, Katrina's Kitchen, the the library, Ben's Pretzels." The board viewed the cluster of openings as encouraging for summer foot traffic and discussed targeted marketing and incentive tools to help convert more challenging properties.