Summer on Main Street

From Our First Issue: Main Street Comes Alive
By: Molly Sczucka, Co-Editor

Every Thursday this summer, downtown Torrington hosted Main Street Market Place (MSMP) as a way to create more business down town. For the second year MSMP has attracted thousands of people each week to a selection of some 50 vendors and a farmer’s market.

For Vendor Coordinator Jessica Hordorski, MSMP is one of the main reasons businesses have been moving downtown and people have been choosing local shops.

“MSMP has helped downtown by making it a destination point again. People have been able to re-familiarize themselves with the stores, restaurants and activities that take place on or around Main Street,” says Hodorski

This year at MSMP people got to witness a fire show, fried dough, and a variety of vendors and other ds. For Kristin Ellis (‘12) who attended MSMP more than once, the market place made Torrington a little more interesting.

“There were alot of the same things each week, but it shows you that its not “Borrington” and that there are things to do and little shops to go in,” says Ellis

For the shops already down town, MSMP has helped their business to gain more notoriety. The vintage and local clothing store Brazen Betties has been a hometown hit with their original “Raggie” shirt. Backstage Restaraunt enjoys increased customers due to the major foot traffic of MSMP.

For Hodorski, her ideal Torrington is a vibrant arts and culture destination. She like other appreciators of local businesses hopes for the down town store fronts to be filled with customers and business. Horoski also understands that the center of cities and towns are what make them unique.

“Downtowns are generally the heartbeat of a town. They can make or break a town. If there is nothing to offer people, then the people will leave. If there is a lot of variety and destination points, then people will visit and support the town,” says Hordoski.