REHAB NATION

Upon returning to Shelby from my holiday visit to Mount Airy, I was ready to put the mind in neutral and coast through some mindless television watching. Mindless is the operative term there, of course, and there was a surplus of it.

Seems that some folks in the TV business were focused on the word "Recovery" and I'm left wondering if those people have completely lost it. Everyone seemed to be running a holiday recovery marathon or series. Is Christmas such a festival of wretched excess that we have to enter formal recovery to go on with life in the aftermath? Are we at a point where the entire nation is watching Dr. Drew's Sex Rehab on MTV? (I'm not, by the way.) Are we a REHAB nation in the worst sense of the word's current usage?

Well, I hope we can take up the Rehab banner in a very different light here in 2010. Rehab as in working on strengthening our historic building stock, replacing roofs and windows, painting, converting unused second floors to residential or office uses, and so forth. Let's rehab unused industrial space for some new businesses that make solar panels or naturally-derived cleaning products. Let's use an old warehouse for a new brewery or a facility to prepare and package new locally-grown foods.

You see where I'm going, of course, leading back around to the locovore idea of sustainable living. If we can strive for that improved balance and activity we can get to the point where we don't need to run off for REHAB or RECOVERY in the first place.

The rant is ended, go in peace.

Time Races On

Always seems to be my theme around the holidays. Even this year when I've got most of my shopping completed and there's nothing that's way out of control in my life, I still feel the fleeting nature of time. Maybe its the rarity of daylight. Yeah, that's the ticket!

I was so amazed by the Suzy Bogguss concert at the Don Gibson Theatre on Saturday. I'd been familiar with her music from radio, but the woman in person was so much more interesting. Jeans, straight hair, straight talking too. She was just getting over a cold, but man does she have some serious lung power!

When the music started, I felt like I was transported someplace special. Like New York or LA, or like the feel of a very slick TV concert presentation in some far away location. But no, just the music hall down the street from my home or office. She also seemed to be real serious about making sure that we were in on the joke of life, as well as the more serious emotions in the songs she wrote or sang. Major talent!

Plus I had the best pizza before the concert. Chicken, Basil, Mozzarella, garlic chips, olive oil. . . The joke was that it was a group creation at Pleasant City, but it was a creation that woke up my taste buds.

See, even when the clock and calendar are racing, life can be quite fine.

Holiday Season Gets Rolling

It's a sunny, chilly crisp Monday, so there's no lingering weekend sleepy-headedness for me and that's a nice change.

Friday was a very nice evening of carriage rides in Uptown Shelby, and there seemed to be more people out just to enjoy the lights and walk about the area. Most of the stores have their own light spectacles to brighten up the night time, and First National Bank really has done a great job of lighting up their buildings along with their Santa's House. The FNB sponsored Toyland in the old Court House is another sparkler in the very heart of Uptown Shelby and I hope everyone goes to see what they've managed to accomplish.

We even had a saxophone player performing some improvisations on familiar Christmas tunes for a little while. I don't know who the fellow was, but he was good and it sounded great. The mystery sax lent an air of big city feel for a while. Urban and urbane!

Then Saturday's Art Around Town gallery crawl was a great chance to sample a few of our arts businesses here. I still am impressed that we have so many gallery and studio operations in the Uptown district. It's more than most similar sized citie that aren't in mountain or seaside locations. I got a few handmade ornaments, Christmas cards, and a couple of pottery items as I got a start on the shopping.

Saturday night I went up to Fallston to hear Flint Hill play at Leatherwoods. Good crowd and good music! Steve Leatherwood kept live music in Uptown Shelby for several years at his former location on Court Square, and I hope he can enjoy similar success in Fallston with a schedule that should be a little easier to keep up.

The week ahead looks way too busy. But that's usually the case this time of year. Take a deep breath and let it fly!

Musings about Music

The Lovell Sisters were a great treat on Saturday night. I'd been told they were live wires. But they were also very talented musicians. And very young too, but they obviously had been given a good start in understanding life by their parents.

I say that because their original lyrics were generally wise beyond their years, and they were talking about influences that late teens don't normally recognize. There was a longer instrumental in recognition of Jimi Hendrix's birthday on Friday. It was obviously a bluegrass number, but it went through some pretty amazing chord changes and became almost hypnotic before they drew it to a close for an extended version of Johnny Cash's Folsom Prison Blues. The eldest of the three sisters, herself no more than 21 years of age, belted out the most mischievous version of that song I've ever witnessed.

There was a bit of everything in this show and I took it as a true omen of good things to come for the Don Gibson Theatre and for Uptown Shelby. When they finisihed up the second set the audience just sprange to their feet, no thinking about whether it was good enough for a big standing ovation! Anytime I can hear such good playing with such high energy I'll be there!

Ah, Time Flies & Holidays Are Here!
Well, we are fast approaching Thanksgiving and the official beginning to the Christmas Season with a bit more hope and calm this year. But the calm is only on the emotional side, as things here at Uptown Shelby Association are at a really fast pace compared with last year. Of course, the new kid (that's me) was being cut a little slack last year and this time around I know that we are not insulated from the way everyone goes into overdrive this time of year.

We've seen four new businesses open in the last 21 days, adding about 28-30 employees to the Uptown workforce. The city electrical crews have been teasing everyone by testing and replacing lights in the early evening hours as the days shorten. And merchants have been shifting from seasonal fall decorations to an all-out blast of lights that should reach a completely dazzling stage this week.

I hope the good folks of Shelby will take advantage of Uptown merchants' offerings this year and receive a positive thing in return--sanity and memories of shopping the old time way in the heart of their home town.

From What I'm Hearing, . . .

Just a short post today to try and start the long catch up. It's cloudy, misty, and down right soaked after the steady rain that began late yesterday and went through the night.

Some of us were out in that rainy mess last night. First there was the kick-off rally for the American Legion World Series bid that was blessedly scheduled for a dry indoor place. Then there was the marquee lighting at the Don Gibson Theatre, which suffered only from rain. But there's no reason to be inside when you're celebrating turning on the outside lights for the first time in years, now is there?

Both events were so optimistic and future directed for citizens and visitors to our community. Whether it's for folks who want to see great baseball from young adults from all sizes of towns around the nation, or top flight concerts by a wide variety of artists who present a view of our musical heritage, it's about good things to enjoy and value here in Shelby.

By the way, I heard plenty of wonderful music this past weekend at the Art of Sound festival in Uptown Shelby. Man! I don't know who was best. Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade was the biggest surprise for me. But then Balsam Range, Old Ceremony, Unspoken Tradition, Rick Boyles, Kerri Sickenberger, and Elizabeth Cook were all presenting uncommonly fine music.

I didn't hear one band that was bad. But I did hear things I wouldn't normally catch on an average weekend. The most audacious act was Moses Cherry and the Topless Gospel Choir from neighboring Cherryville. No, there was no naked choir, and the lead singer's real name is Isaac, but it was a joyously goofy set that romped all over the history of the American Blues.

Soon we're going to be hearing all sorts of new music. Prick up your ears and let this audio adventure lift you up!

Falling Into UPtown

The weather made a sudden changs about two weeks ago. Daytime high temperatures went from the high 90's to the mid-80's. The quality of light changed dramatically as well. I had noticed that the sunlight was much kinder on the eyes, and even made everything look as if you were viewing a professional photograph.

Fall's light has always been known for a special quality. And it didn't surprise me at all one day last week when I saw three different small groups around Uptown, all carrying cameras. They were out, obviously on assignment from a teacher, taking pictures of each other against backgrounds of brick, peeling paint, and back alleys.

I toyed with urging them to get pictures of the more grand doorways or the columns of the courthouse, but with the speed of our alleyway projects, they should get that gritty urban feel now. Some of the alley's may be years away from landscaping or paving, but I do believe they will all have a clean and cared-for look in the next 12 months.

Over the weekend I met some folks from Belmont at Pleasant City. One said she'd just spoken with her daughter in New York and had asked what she was going to do in the big city tonight. After a bored "I don't know" that sounded like nothing at all, The mother laughed and said with glee, "Well I'm going out to eat some great pizza and listen to a wild band named Jimmy Rehab in Uptown Shelby. I'll be out past midnight, but call if you get bored!"

You know I love hearing things like that. Excitement is where you make it. Just like alley ways that look big city can be found in our own backyard, and high energy rock and roll doesn't need a big arena or converted factory on the edge of Uptown Charlotte either.

Hump Day?

No, that's not a very creative title, and I haven't had any flashes of brilliance today either. But it's been a good time to get some work completed. For some reason, the phones have been quiet this week--not dead, but not crazy either. It also seems to be a week where most folks have low expectations and my job is to pull them along in thinking about some alternatives.

But it is also a week where we're getting ready for the Star Stage & Sound trade show and conference at Shelby City Park on Saturday. I'm not very mechanically inclined to begin with, and when I took all the parts of our trade show booth out of the neat rolling cases my heart sank. But I've still got two days to get that all figured out for quick assembly on Saturday. Lucky for me, once I get the assembly worked out, it will be easy to talk with people about our Uptown Shelby district and organization.

And join me in hoping and praying for good weather Thursday evening so we can finish up our Alive After Five '09 Summer Concert series in comfort. Hope to see you there!

Monday perspective

It's Monday, I'm back in town after a weekend back in my home town area with family and friends. I might not have a truly fresh perspective on things, but just enough to have revealed a few insights.

First, even though my farm in the hills is only two hours away, having been absent since Christmas is not a good idea. Even a close knit family begins to seem like they are going in strange directions or doing things that surprise you. Of course, there's also the capacity for positive surprise as well, as with the incredible progress my nephew is achieving with his metalsmithing and jewelry making career. From motorhead to gunsmith to engraver and now he's forming sophisticated, costly works in a few short months where most pros take years to reach that point. I've already told him to plan to be here for Art on the Square in 2010.

Being out of town for two days sets me up to look at everything a little closer to make sure nothing changed while I was away. Nonsense, yes, I know. But I'm sure we all do it on some level. And if something did change it looks as if it was for the better.

While I was in Mount Airy, the nearest thing to a home town for this farm boy, I was pleased to see that there were few empty store fronts on Main Street since I was last there. The local paper had recently run a feature on new businesses and found that the majority of the business owners were under 40 years of age. That's a great thing to find!

So yes, it's Monday. Time to get back to the grind with a smile. Even on a cloudy wet Monday.

Colleagues, travel, meetings, etc.

I know that a "managers meeting" is usually enough to make folks run away, but I've just been to one that was uplifting, encouraging, and inspiring. It was the late summer Managers Meeting for the North Carolina Main Street Center. It didn't hurt that it was in Brevard and did not require me to drive five hours. But even if it had, I think I would have been just as inspired and upbeat.

Uptown Shelby Association is one of the five oldest Main Street programs in North Carolina and we've been represented at these meetings ever since the early 80's. But where the backdrop today might have been recession, credit freeze, and mounting unemployment, the Main Street Managers were a pretty optimistic group. We joked that it's because we've always been faced with doing a lot with little to no money. I fully believe that it is a skill set that has put us in good stead for a time of economic challenge.

But we also think that we see some strong signs of changing trends that promote independent start-up and local businesses. While not everyone reported upbeat results, the majority did report that our occupancy rates were up over recent years and that interest remains strong in new business formation within their communities.

Yes, we all have stories about native born, lifelong residents of our small towns and small cities who just have no idea that our downtowns have businesses where they are welcomed and served so well. But as long as we are reducing the number of such people in our communities I'll take that progress.

I loved Brevard, and I think it was my first visit, at least since infancy. With a chocolate shop and a great toy store, I'll be going back. But it also helped me appreciate my own corner of the world here in Shelby even more.

It's a rainy Monday, but there's no time even think about wallowing in the blues that are naturally associated with the mix of calendar and weather.

Too much is going on here for that sort of indulgence. New prospects seem to be coming in to visit or phoning to explore the possibility of locating here in Uptown. There's the crush of activity with plans for Fall Festival/Livermush/Art of Sound in late October, not to mention the building anticipation for the Don Gibson Theatre sometime in November.

Along with the Christmas season, there's real estate to guide along, empty locations to fill, and eventually concerns with streetscaping and wayfinding signs to guide visitors around Uptown.

So, no time to dawdle today!

New Fiscal Year, New Ideas

We've just begun a new fiscal year for the Uptown Shelby Association, Inc. and that's a great reason to do some new year's wishes or resolutions.

One of the key thing we've discussed in our staff meetings and in talking with all sorts of folks here in Uptown Shelby is a renewal of focus on merchants and other businesses in our midst. We were backers of the recent $20 on the 20th campaign undertaken by the STAR, and that helped get us past the first thoughts of what can be done.

I'm heading out to talk with merchants over the next two weeks to see what they are thinking and how we can find common ground for us all to learn something new and apply new thinking to how we pull in more shoppers, diners, and business clients to Uptown Shelby. Consider this an open invitation to any and all readers to let us hear your own constructive ideas or dreams.

Everything will be put into the mix and we will work on crafting the best programs, campaigns and promotions we can pull together with the resources we have.

I also hope that everyone is getting excited about all of the good stuff on our horizon. I got a quick peek inside the Don Gibson Theater yesterday and that is now beginning to look like a sharp entertainment and gathering spot for Shelby. Plus we've got Fall Festival for the children coming up in late October at the same time of Livermush Expo and Art of Sound. In the meantime, next week brings us the Real to Real International Film Festival!

Summer Time

Living might be a little easier, but time does not flow slowly like molasses anymore. There has been work going on!

We had about 100 people show up at a screening of Horton Hears A Who! in the Wachovia Movies al la mode series in uptown nearly two weeks ago. Kids were full of energy at the beginning, but it seemed they were quite ready to settle down for a full length cartoon adventure. And several parents made certain we knew they appreciated a good night out.

Things were admittedly too quiet over the weekend of the 4th of July, but that is going to have to change next year! The new flags did cut a fine figure in Uptown on the 4th, so that is a major step forward.

And today we're meeting with a street scape expert and designer from the North Carolina Main Street Staff. Sandy Smith has started to gather up some steam in our block to take the old alley way in back and turn it into an asset. It will take a lot of work, but its worth improving our surrounding. A small begging, perhaps, but small steps can take us a long way in the end.

So even if it looks quiet on the surface, don't be fooled!

Tropical Heat Wave!

OK, maybe temperate zone heat wave, but I haven't felt so wilted in a while. The Earl Scruggs concert last night was a great show on many levels. The first few minutes I was feeling sad that I was there alone and not with my late father who would have loved the spectacle and the music. But it soon raised my spirits tremendously.

Even though I could tell they had the cooling system cranked as low as they could take it, the atmospheric heat came indoors with us. Hearing old favorites just took me back in time to a place where neither heat nor cold mattered. Ballad of Jed Clampett, You are my flower, Foggy Mountain Breakdown, . . .

The crackle of Earl's banjo contrasted greatly with the electric bass and drums, but that just reminded me of what a rebel he'd been for so many years. I do remember the old time music crowd in Mount Airy and Wilkes County back in the late 60's would grouse about Flat & Scruggs doing new-fangled things. I can only chuckle about that now since Earl Scruggs is still picking with style and grace.

And who in the world would have expected to see Earl Scruggs playing a duet with Rob Ikes, the Dobro guitar star who normally hangs out with Blue Highway. Man that was inspired genius as far as I tell. It had been a few years since I saw a lot of his playing when I was wondering among festivals in the mountains of NC, Tennessee, Virginia and even West Virginia back in the 80's. Those were special times and at least he's only gotten better.

Seems like $20 on the 20th was good for the merchants here. I spent more, but managed to find things that I really can use or pass along as thoughtful gifts. It's not just about increasing sales, while that is vital, but it's also about helping us be clear about our intentions and methods of shopping. It's a responsible way for us to guide our actions in the future as we hope to returning to a time of economic progress later this year.

I've never been a shopaholic type of guy, and sometimes I even have to force myself to go out for staples. However, I do need to be thinking about replacing some things that are wearing out, as well as finding gifts for the family. I've always had a real problem getting my Christmas shopping done on time, so maybe I can have a more relaxed holiday this year and try to remember what I've already bought for the relatives! The latter point will be more of a challenge than anyone wants to admit!

Friday is for Fiddling (or Banjo too)

We had a great Alive After Five last night, even after the weather and the severe storm siren conspired to scare folks away. Steep Canyon Rangers were even better than I'd expected. On top of being great musicians performing mostly their own original music, the band members were probably the best dressed group on our series in some time. And given how hot things were before the frontal system blew through, I was amazed they were willing to wear jackets for even a few seconds.

The audience included more than a few folks who were visiting from out of town, and I think we had some local folks who might not have been to one of our events in some time. I think we were lucky on the weather since it cooled things down about 5 - 10 degrees, and even luckier to get such a great band here when they are routinely playing big festivals. On top of that they've been playing with the original wild and crazy guy (Steve Martin) for some well-received performances in Los Angeles and New York City.

And we're blessed to be getting a second night of live music of greatness! Native son Earl Scruggs is back in town to perform tonight on the Malcolm Brown stage. Everyone's heard Earl on records to MP3's and seen him on TV, heard him on radio, but this will be the first time for me to experience him in person. I put him in the category of Bluegrass Legend, and I'm glad to be adding him to a life-list of people like Ralph Stanley, Grandpa Jones, and Doc Watson that I've seen up close in great performances.

While it might be unusual to get such high quality performances in rapid fire succession, we oughtto be getting used to having more live music in our community. When Art of Sound comes back around, and then the Don Gibson Theater opening, we will be a regional center for live music.

But you don't just build a theater and become a musical draw for 100 mile radius. it turns out that Shelby and other key pockets of the foothills are traditionally hotbeds of music. It turns out that I grew up in another one of those pockets up in Surry County, just south of the Virginia line. Shelby is just north of the state line, so maybe there's some magic in those imaginary lines on the map!

Monday aggravation

Some creature stole two large flowering annual plants from one of our planters over the weekend. Beautiful plants too. I know they didn't pop out easy since they'd rooted in very well and we were keeping them water daily whenever the rains didn't do the job for us.

If it happens again I will install video surveillance and/or camp out in the office all weekend. It takes a remarkably low-down person to rustle flowers.

On to more cheerful things--Steep Canyon Rangers are coming on Thursday! I've seen them on TV, heard them a lot on local radio, and now get to see and hear a live show. I hope we have a huge crowd.

Seems like just a blink of the eye

Things can change for the better in short order. But it takes a little planning, checking with some folks for either permission or support, and then a few people working together to make change happen.

Yesterday, Wednesday, was spring cleaning day at Uptown Shelby. I was at home sick. Really I was. The guilt of not being a part of the work is way too big to mess with for me.

But Allison Gragg and Sandy Smith from the Uptown staff organized a day that left us in better shape, inside and out. Inside, we got some help from Brian Butler, our summer intern who helped move desks and such so vacuuming and mopping could take place. Everything was smelling fresh and clean when I came in. The back windows had been washed for the first time in years too!

Outside, the team and other volunteers in the immediate neighborhood went to work clearing weeds, debris and forgotten items in the alleyway that runs parallel to Lafayette and South Trade. What a difference!

The alley project is only just begun, as we hope to create a more attractive landscaped pedestrian pathway that is an asset to the busiensses and residents of the block. A mere six hours and some hard work by a group of people made one building much nicer, and certainly removed some lingering eyesores in the process of improving the design and function of a larger outdoor space.

End of another week, and the work is just getting started

Meetings, and not empty sessions of yapping at all, and writing some good letters, gathering information on properties and managing to finally find my way to Owl's Eye Vineyard, our local winery that is surprisingly fine. . . What a week. We even got what will likely be a close to final draft of the Uptown Shelby budget done, and our in-house storage areas are in the neatest shape in perhaps 28 years.

But last night as we were sitting at dinner to discuss Uptown Shelby's readiness for the opening of the Don Gibson Theatre, I had a moment of panic. We were sitting in a local restaurant that was about 85% full. I suspect three or four more restaurants were about 75% or more full. Three other smaller eateries that specialize in breakfast or lunch were closed. If there had been a performance by a popular band at Gibson that night, where would we seat 200-300 extra guests who might want to eat before or after the concert?

We were being guided through the thought process by Frank Jernigan, who directs group travel sales and marketing support for the NC Commerce Department's Division of Tourism. This morning we were joined by Frankie McWhorter, a Division of Tourism Development Officer based in Rutherfordton. At least we've got great advice and connections with other people involved in similar tasks.

The ARK is getting a little crowded!

Yes, I know, talking about the weather is cliche alright. One of the merchants exclaimed to me in a dramatic way yesterday--Wade! It' hasn't rained in a half hour!!! What are you going to do??? Well just wait around, which I did, and it blasted forth.

Now the sun is out, but government forecasts are calling for more showers and storms, and we're not going to take chances. We've discussed all the pros and cons, contingencies, and the Wachovia Movies a la Mode Tales of Despareaux is being postponed to next week. We think everyone is just too soggy and the likelihood of it getting worse is just too strong.

Perhaps a dove will fly by with an olive branch tomorrow!

How does it all come together?

As much as we are all complaining, and I do stress the WE, you'd expect us to be made of pure sugar and fearful of melting away in the rain. Nah! Never happen for any number of reasons.

At least we had a bright and shining moment for the first of our Alive After Five concerts this past Thursday. Contagious Blues kept the tempo revved up to a high level all evening, and it seemed that everyone was enjoying the liveliness, whether they were active listeners, dancers, people watchers, or visiting with neighbors. It's always hard to do an accurate headcount of attendees, especially when there is coming and going over a three hour period. But I feel justified in saying we had about a thousand folks or more who enjoyed a good old block party setting. That's more than decent for the start of a season.

Just so we get the word out a little more widely every time, this series has been in the planning stages since last November, and was finalized in early Februrary. Like clockwork, I picked up a call in the office on Friday with a fellow who asked if we were having Alive After Five concerts this year and could we feature his band?

I'd just like for people to learn that it takes a lot of preparation for these events to work without total mayhem breaking loose. Allison Gragg at Uptown Shelby spent much of December and January booking the bands, talking with agents, and meeting with our Promotion/Events committee. Then she spent March and April talking with sponsors and vendors to be sure there were spaces available, and refreshments for the audience to enjoy.

Lastly, the volunteers from Uptown Shelby's board of directors and from our sponsor businesses all helped keep the wristbands organized, popcorn boxed up and drinks poured at the Uptown tent. Then we fanned out working to be sure every candy wrapper and cigarette butt was picked up. It takes hard work to keep things smooth and get the place looking decent the next day.

By the way, personally, I picked up at least 1,000 nasty cigarette butts on my own. As a cigar smoker, I'm not about to rip into a righteous sermon on smoking. But good lord, folks! Find an ashtray or something! My back hurt for two days!

What am I forgetting?

I don't care how old or young you are, you know that feeling. It's gotten more common for all of us as we are catching more phone calls to more phones, and the flicker of the computer with more messages from email to social media pages.

But I'm trying to enjoy the moderate temperatures and days when the sun is out to be sure I get a chance to slow the brain down a little. There will be a time this summer, when the Dog Days of August are beating down upon us, and we will fondly wish for a cool day like May.

Meanwhile, back at the office . . .

I'm back in the office after three days of workshops and conferences out of town. That was both exhausting and invigorating, with a chance to talk with colleagues and compare notes on how things are going in other towns and cities around the state.

On Wednesday, a workshop in Mooresville explored various aspects of federal stimulus grants coming available for governments and non-profits here in the region. Then on Thursday and Friday I was with about 25 to 30 other Main Street managers from across the state. Some were from programs that were just admitted in the last year or two. Others were like ours, among the oldest Main Street organizations in the US.

All of us reported tighter sponsorship situations, but some were obviously much tighter than ours. Some are getting little or no support from local governments, while others are getting what I felt like would qualify as lavish public funding. We're more or less in the center when it comes to funding, perhaps a little more stable in the past couple of years with strong fiscal management.

But I do think we are also stretching our dollars pretty well, getting more accomplished in some areas. But there were plenty of ideas for new projects and services that were suggested. And we Main Street managers are pretty honest about borrowing ideas and inspiration from each other. We do, however, try to remember to give credit when we gather twice a year.

Back home I got here in time to help celebrate the Grand Opening at Country Heart on the corner of Marion and Lafayette streets. Ann Finnigan cut the big red ribbon as Mayor Alexander and former Mayor Roark watched, along with USA Board members Holly Brock and Trish Butler. Best of all, there was a pretty steady number of shoppers exploring a new location.

On a rather more difficult front, Uptown is sad about the early morning fire at Arizona on Lafayette. I've been watching a steady stream of professionals with cleaning and repairs go in and out to prepare estimates today, and hope that means things will be back to normal soon. Good luck neighbors!

We also had a lightening fire at Coldwell Banker Horne on DeKalb Street a couple of weeks back. They are almost back online with the operation, and I want to say thanks to the neigbors and friends who offered the staff at Coldwell Banker a spare desk or phone station to fill in. That is one true measure of a community.

Have a great week here in Uptown, and if you are someplace else, come visit.

Art Riot?

The Mystery Art affair at the Cleveland County Arts Council Thursday night was a great success. The air of mystery created around the event worked to create quite a buzz in certain circles. Getting images of all of the paintings up on the Web site helped everything by letting people see what quality had come through. But the identity of the artists was never disclosed before one purchased the work.

Well, the buzz was enough that many of us would have gotten there before the opening time to be sure we staked out our purchases. The Arts Council was getting worried. Then they decided to lock the doors at 5 and re-open at 5:30. About 20 of us were on the steps a few minutes after 5. People could be seen walking in that direction too. Would order be maintained?

Yes, the City of Pleasant Living was orderly, but we streamed in there with no delay, no greeting old friends, but headed directly for our targets. I scored two of the best small portraits I've ever seen. Isaac Shelby and Maj. Patrick Ferguson will soon be framed and grace the front hall.

But even better news is that there was a really strong group of 5 x 7 canvases from area artists. 270 or so, in fact. Some were student works, students from local high schools and adult classes, and some were by professional artists. Best of all, it wasn't possible to tell amateur from pro in most cases. Some were playful, some very serious, but most were objects that I'd feel good about seeing every day. And even when we know the identity of the artist, there's still mystery there if you are going to live with art.

Change, A Bit At A Time

I've been catching most of the new PBS series on Appalachia and the early parts talked about the formation of the mountains in terms of Geologic Time. That's real slow, and sometime life seems to mimic geology a bit. However, there's plenty of examples of how things are changing with regularity here. It ay be in smaller increments than we might think we want to see, but I think it probably happens about as quickly as we poor humans can handle it.

Look at the rapid progress on the Don Gibson Theater. The roof on the special event center is up, the exterior walls are almost done,and the concrete floor done, all in about 5 weeks.

Sidewalk tables, with snappy orange shade umbrellas are now outside Pleasant City Wood Fire Grill, and it's now possible to enjoy a glass of wine or beer with your dinner. And across the intersection the fountain is back on since the drought emergency has passed us at last.

We had a great turnout for our outdoor movie here in Uptown, with about 150 people enjoying a night out. And attendance seemed to be good for the opening day of the Foothills Farmers Market, along with a great Arts on the Square show this year. The crafts and fine arts exhibitors were very strong, very professional in quality and presentation, and it was great to see such an explosion of creativity on our fairly staid Court Square. Something's going on around here, right?

And when change doesn't proceed like this, I suspect it's people that just cant' handle it. Someone once told me "People don't change much, but organizations will always change." I guess my friend was right. There are people who do things, and I suspect that their continual action is a perpetual motion generator that helps things happen around them. Others drift through, and some are in between. But thank goodness change is a constant, according to physicists and science teachers.

Sounds

It was a cool, misty Sunday afternoon. Sunday afternoons in the South have almost always been quiet in my experience. It used to bore me, but now I understand why all the adults I knew would take a nap on Sunday afternoon.

This Sunday was a little different as we had a concert scheduled on the Court Square by the Jinotega Music School's concert band. Thankfully, Central United Methodist Church gave us shelter, and about 120 folks came out despite the rain.

The concert was lively, bright, professionally done, and a real pleasant afternoon. And it was probably the last thing most of us would expect to be hearing on a quiet spring afternoon in the Carolina hills. Thankfully, I didn't feel like subjecting everyone to the spectacle of my dancing skills, but it did make me feel like bouncing around.

Monday

Oh, rainy Mondays are almost mythically Blue Mondays or at least difficult. I'm having trouble, but I think that could only be laid to my having enjoyed a long weekend for the Easter Holiday.

But work must resume and things must get done. There's a What's UPtown newsletter to be distibuted, reports and proposals to be written, and plenty of other tasks whether it's Monday or not.

At least the steady showers we've been getting lately should mean that our Farmer's Market on the 25th will have enough greens and other produce to keep customers happy. Last year's drought really made that tougher than normal. Lettuce, green onions and a good dressing, maybe even a hot dressing, will set me right.

Weird Weather

At the risk of sounding like Skip Foster's brother with talk about weather and such, I'm surely impressed with the cold temperatures this morning! It's enough to test a fellow's faith in the inevitable return of Spring. Or maybe it came along to remind us not to be lulled into taking spring for granted. All sense of complacency froze and fell right off my back this morning when I stepped out the door.

But the beautiful weather on Saturday was a real pleasure for all of us at Uptown Shelby. Several great volunteers (including Boy Scouts from Troop 101) helped roping off areas, hiding 7000 colored easter eggs with candy or toy prizes, and helping to manage hundreds of children and parents on hand for the spectacle.

Thanks go to our sponsors: Kidsville News, Pleasant City Wood Fired Grill, First National Bank, Victoria-Stephen, Shelby Savings Bank, Cleveland Headline News, Child Care Connections, and Buffalo Creek Gallery. And our special prizes in the metallic eggs were provided by Arnold's Jewelry, Christine's Baskets and Gifts, and Shelby Ice Cream and Deli.

The Easter Bunny (ahem!) was joined by Scoop Dog from Channel 33, and the huggable Dragon from Kidsville News. Lots of pictures, lots of fun. And it was all over in an hour! Happy Easter, everyone!

Under the Surface

It's a pretty quiet week on the surface, but that's total deception. The Easter Bunny is due to drop by later this week to get over 6000 eggs out of my office for placement on Court Square. Saturday's Easter Egg Hunt promises to be somewhat crazed, and so far it looks as if we may be blessed with the right weather.

The Don Gibson Theatre is taking form with the walls going up for the new exhibit and event space adjoining the performance space in the original State Theatre building.

There's more activity around the Uptown Shelby district, but nothing quite that large. However,some of the quiet shuffling and scurrying about are the big dreams of individuals launching new businesses or working on new ideas to achieve their goals.

Tonight there's a ribbon cutting for Simply Charming, a bridal registry and gift retailer at the corner of Graham and Dekalb Streets. The store has moved from Spartanburg!

I continue to be surprised with folks stopping by to talk with me about the process of starting a new shop or restaurant in Uptown. It keeps me busy, yes, but also pleasantly inspired with the level of optimism folks bring to their efforts.

Hope and Spring are a good combination.

Spring Showers

It's not yet April, but we're getting a gentle spring shower as I write. I'm happy, even though cloudy dark weather makes me feel like fungus most times. I'm happy because lawns will be perking up, especially after the poor man's nitrogen we got in the big snow a while back.

More importantly, the farmers and gardeners will be in better shape this year than the dry spring last year. I'm looking forward to the first day of Foothills Farmers Market this year: April 25th, on Court Square. I'm a strong supporter of shopping local, and that is definitely true when it comes to vegetables, greens and fruit. And don't forget eggs and meat!

It's going to be the same day as the Art On The Square festival sponsored by Buffalo Creek Gallery and Uptown Shelby, not to mention the Merry Go Round Festival at City Park. I hope everyone is going to be out enjoying spring and all the activity.

Since I will be out working with Art On The Square I'll be up early enough on that Saturday to get an early selection at Foothills Farmers Market. There might some tomato plants for pots and it will be good to have fresh eggs again! And I hope everyone comes out to see the opening and our new logo for the Foothills Farmers Market. I just got two designs from our helper and comes down to either a Red Belly Tractor or a vintage red pickup, both with vegetables and flowers. Nice choice!!!

Finding a muse

It's not easy to stay inspired, but there's the classical idea of the muse, a person or even mythical creature who might drive us to write verses of poetry. Well, I'm no poet, but there seems to be no shortage of sights or turn of events that can make me want to write.

Last night, while walking my willful Golden Retriever along Washington Street, I noticed that workmen were busy polishing the concrete floor on the new exhibition and event section of the Don Gibson theatre. Knowing they are trying hard to keep to the original schedule for a fall completion and opening, I'm impressed when people work extraordinary hours to make things happen.

It is going to be lots of long hours, by both workers and volunteers, that make the Don Gibson open its doors this fall. That and contributions both large and small will make it possible for us to celebrate the distinctive musical heritage of Shelby and Cleveland County.

But we will need to start celebrating this music in some other places too: Schools where the children learn everything from marching band tunes to symphonic masterpieces for Carnegie Hall. Community buildings, dance halls, playgrounds and fellowship halls all over the county can be producing the next Gibson or Scruggs for a new generation.

We're working up to a summer of Alive After Five concerts, Art of Sound festival performances, and many other things just as the Don Gibson Theatre will be going through final completion. Let's all nurture this creative vein here, be a muse, or just go listen to some music!

Trees and Worry

Nothing freshens up the way we look at our environment quite the same way as a change of scene. I jut returned from a few days out of town. One of the first things I noticed upon getting the car out of the garage at the airport was the Bradford Pears. Everywhere! Luckily there were few to none to be seen when I got back here to Shelby. Those are the trees that look great for about 7 to 10 days in the spring, if there's no freeze, and for about 10 days of blazing foliage in October. The rest of the time they are busy splitting and falling apart.

And nothing challenges the way a self avowed tree hugger feels about trees like having a big tree limb fall on a man's car. A few days after the snow and ice, a good sized limb fell from the top of a Live Oak and scratched up the back of my car. No structural damage, thankfully, but it will require some paint and work. Now, having a limb fall out still doesn't put the Live Oaks in the same category as Bradford Pears in my eyes.

Live Oaks generally look great year round. But what this proved to me is that what looks like green and healthy tree branches can actually be dead and dried up limbs and leaves. We have a serious challenge in Uptown after years of drought, and we may see more of our beautiful and valued trees fall in the next couple of years as a result of the stress.

I hope that is not sounding too alarmist to anyone reading this, but I do think we need to start directing a lot of concern toward the health of trees and shrubs in our midst. They aren't frills. They keep heating and cooling bills down, keep the sidewalks shady enough for children and elderly alike to enjoy, and they sometimes hide a mess of sins like an overdue paint job on second story window frames.

Start thinking about the street side trees in Shelby and what is important to you about them. And if you are ever in a position to plant a new tree, whether at a school, church or in Uptown Shelby, remember it needs care and water to grow into a glorious asset for everyone to enjoy!

Is Winter Finally Broken?

Oh, I hope this is the last freeze of any magnitude for us this year. I must admit that I didn't believe the forecasters. Especially that we could get so much snow. So my first winter in Shelby has been a good deal more extreme than I was expecting!

Monday I just walked in to work. Three blocks is not that bad, even though it would have been nicer if I hadn't donated the rubber boots and dress shoe coverups to Good Will before leaving Mount Airy. But it was beautiful, and Monday was great in the way it slowed everyone down or kept us inside more. It gave me the luxury to have a longer and more detailed meeting than otherwise possible most days.

I saw only a couple of big branches broken by heavy snow. With the leaves on the live oaks, that was pretty remarkable. And I only heard about two or three people slipping and almost falling on ice. If anyone did crash, you have my sympathy. Over 15 years of living in New England usually saw me slipping and hurting some part of me at least three or four times a year.

Though most businesses were closed on Monday there was a crush of all sorts of people in The Shelby Cafe. It was warm and fragrant inside, and even the new guy in town saw a few familiar faces as we all seemed to enjoy closeness of the place when it was so radically cold and icy outside.

Bring on the spring. Even a little March wind. But I hope this is our once in five years taste of snow. I'm ready for 7000 colored Easter Eggs on Court Square.

New Activity--Must Be Almost Spring

We've probably all seen the first daffodil blossoms that always seem to be Spring's early warning system. But there's a new energy in Uptown Shelby that bodes well for the future here in the Uptown district.

I began to hear from hopeful new business owners this winter, about the time that those deep cold blasts were coming through our area. But just like early buds and green spikes in the garden, those early contacts have begun to bear fruit. Three new businesses have already opened their doors: Christine's Baskets and Gifts (On East Marion next to Winter House Deli), Ditto Consignments at 226 Lafayette Street, and Simply Sassy Salon in the Charleston Place building on West Marion.

Then we have Welcome Home, which has moved from the corner of Washington and Warren, around to mid-block on Washington in the old Cleveland Times printing building. Carla Beam says she has more space for expanded merchandising and her own creative work. She's diagonally across Washginton from Hi-Lites.

More are in the works. Simply Charming is a bridal registry and hand painted gift store that will open at the corner of Graham and DeKalb later in March. I am in discussions with an established home decor business owner who is working to create a new shop in the heart of Uptown Shelby, and others are looking at potential space while working on their business plans for new enterprises.

The Uptown Shelby Association has a New Business Incentive Program that provides technical assistance as well as some small financial assistance options. Our staff and some of our board members recently attended the North Carolina Main Street Conference (we were one of the first five Main Street designated towns in NC), and we all came back with renewed commitment to help new and existing businesses make it in tough economic times.

If you aren't yet an Uptown Shelby regular, I personally urge you to come on Uptown this spring and see how an historic commercial city center can pull together. Not every storefront will be filled, but we're making progress. More is in the works, so check this space!

And if you are looking for something fun to do with children or grandkids, don't forget the Uptown Shelby Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday April 4th. 7000 eggs will somehow be hidden on Court Square for children to discover with candy and toy prizes, as well as a few other special Uptown Shelby prizes. Grab your child and an empty Easter basket!

Slings & Arrows, Or Just Getting Old

It didn't used to be minor surgery, not when my Mom had her gall bladder removed years ago and spent four or five days in the hospital. But now you are in by nine and out before four, with some staples at spots on the abdomen, and sent on to mend up in short order. Well, the good news is thus: Cleveland Regional seems to come through with flying colors.
The bad news: I end up feeling like a geezer! That will pass as soon as I can go back to enjoying a Margherita pizza at Pleasant City later this week. No longer will I fear a sharp tomato sauce or strong basil.
And I can celebrate the last days of 5 East without worrying about robust garlic or olives. Thanks Chef Naman for reminding me that there are great tastes to be had in this town.
Thankfully, spring is not far on our horizon here. I keep wishing the daffodils would take a few days longer before popping up, but I know they will soon be brightening up things and returning hope to the landscape. Soon enough there will be time for over 6000 Easter eggs on Court Square in April. What will be the more remarkable thing? Hiding 6000 eggs or watching all the children going wild in search of brightly colored eggs? Co-workers have chuckled that I'm in for an eye opening experience.
So Spring is coming, and passing another birthday soon will be just another marker. That's because Spring is coming. I'm not getting mushy in my old age, but every year it revives me. That's why I had to get out of Massachusetts years ago. Spring always took too long to arrive, and didn't always do a convincing job of it anyway. I love my Carolina winter. Real, but short! Bring it on Spring.

Cold Enough For You?
Amen! I've seen colder times, but it seems to be that the deep freezes are pretty reliable on the calendar. I remember being in Washington DC for a conference when the temperatures were so awful that Reagan's second inaugural was all but cancelled because of the weather. One year about now Massachusetts Bay was almost frozen solid. And that shows you why I returned to my homeland!

At least it isn't too brutally cold to bring everything to a halt. Carla Beam is moving Welcome Home into a bit larger quarters just across Washington Street, but I know the cold had to be difficult. I think Deborah's Baskets and Gifts on East Marion, beside Winter House Deli, probably got most of her stock moved in before the temperatures took a big dive.

And I'm sure I'm not alone in noticing the look of wild glee in the eyes of a certain newspaperman who is so excited about the possibility of snow! While we are so cold, why not? Let it snow for a while. But I do hope everyone realizes how lucky you are to never see the ugliness of dirty snow and ice that hangs around for days and weeks.

We're blessed to get diversity in our weather here. But we're even more blessed that our weather doesn't stay awful for very long.

WINTER UPS, WINTER DOWNS
Short days, cold temperatures, and the absence of sparkling holiday lights always slows me down on writing. I’ve never been one of those people who make New Year’s resolutions to write daily. Well, at least not since high school when I realized that I didn’t have the gift for consistency and patience.

But life goes on, even with too little daylight! We’re dealing with the aftermath of a weak Christmas shopping season, and national recession woes. And life in Uptown goes on. At USA’s office we’re getting ready for spring and summer with planning for things like the Easter Egg Hunt and Alive After Five concerts. The artist members of Buffalo Creek are readying the return of Arts On The Square, their festival of fine art and craft in late April.

Lots of other things are in the works, from plans to celebrate the progress of Destination Cleveland County and the Don Gibson Theater, to the Fall Festival and Livermush Expo in October.

Folks are working to get the construction begun on Warren Square, two new retail shops are getting ready to open their doors in the coming weeks, and the rhythm continues.

Yes, we have a few hiccups or disruptions to that rhythm. Education Station and 5 East are closing after good runs. Even though I’ve only been here for about 5 months now, I can honestly say that these two businesses and their teams have been very important to Uptown Shelby.

Trish Butler has been a strong supporter of Uptown and has served as an officer and director for some time. She made me welcome on arriving here and I thank her for all the hard work she’s done. At least she’s staying connected and continues to share in the stewardship of a good Uptown.

Hunt(er) Naman may have been back in the kitchen most of the time, but I must express my gratitude for serving up some excellent and exciting tastes when I cam here to Shelby. I’d just left a town to the north of here that seemed to only understand barbecue as an adjective to modify the noun restaurant. Man, thanks for reigniting the taste buds!

No doubt there will be more new businesses opening, new restaurants, just as there will probably be a few more to close with either changing times or retirement plans bearing fruit for some lucky soul. I’ve already heard from a couple of brothers who want to create a restaurant centered around music and want it to be in Uptown.

Watch this space, and watch those spaces along the streets of Uptown. You really never know when Uptown will prove its ability to still surprise and delight.