Does Your Town Make the Grade?

One of the many reasons we travel is to experience culture and scenery different from the place where we live. We want to see different vistas, hear different accents, taste different cuisines and experience different adventures. But, for all the differences we look for, there are some qualities that consistently make visiting some towns superior to others. We like towns that are easily walkable and have a variety of shops and restaurants. We love towns with beautiful landscaping, parks, green spaces, art displays, murals and creative lighting. We enjoy towns that share their history and preserve historic buildings. We look for towns with a vibrant atmosphere where there are events, festivals, street performers, artists and musicians. Towns that appear well loved and clean are always appealing. Downtowns that not only have shops, restaurants and businesses, but also spaces for living are more interesting. These are the characteristics that make people want to visit and keep them coming back. How does your town stack up? If you award up to 10 points for each of the following components of a great community, does your hometown pass or fail? 

▢ Pedestrian-friendly design:

Does your town have wide sidewalks, well-placed benches, shade trees, well marked crosswalks, and traffic calming measures to prioritize pedestrians? 

▢Variety of businesses:

Does your town have an interesting mix of retail shops, restaurants, cafes, cultural institutions, and offices to cater to different needs and interests?

▢ Public spaces and gathering places:

Are there parks, plazas, green spaces, open squares, and outdoor seating areas where people can relax and socialize? 

▢ Aesthetic appeal:

Are the buildings well-maintained with attractive facades, interesting public art, and landscaping? 

▢ Historic preservation:

Does your downtown have well maintained historic buildings to add character and a sense of place?

▢ Accessibility:

Do you have public transportation options? Do you have bike lanes? Is there convenient parking near your downtown?

▢ Active street life:

When people visit your town, will they find outdoor dining, street performers, events, and activities to create a vibrant atmosphere?  

▢ Community focus:

• Are there events and activities that promote a sense of belonging and connection among residents?

▢ Safety and cleanliness:

Does your town have well-lit streets, visible security presence, and clean sidewalks?

▢ Mixed-use development:

• Does your community have mixed-use buildings with a combination of residential, commercial, and office space to encourage a live-work-play environment? 

  
  

  Add up the scores. Did your town make the grade? Which

  areas need the most improvement? Is anything being done 

  to make improvements to any of the areas? Tell us how your 

  town scores.

A Big Thank You, A Big Step Forward

 When you travel, what kind of towns do you like to visit? Do you prefer drab, sprawling downtowns that are broken up and require driving from place to place or would you rather visit attractive places with wide sidewalks that are easily walkable? Do you visit towns with few shops, restaurants and activities? Do you ever say, Let’s visit this town because I hear they have lots of places to park? Or, maybe,  you say, Wow! Let’s build our vacation around this town because it has fast food and a Dollar General on its parkway.

If you are like my friends and me, you like towns that are easily walkable, towns with lots of shops and restaurants, towns that capitalize on their history and towns that have attractive green spaces that invite you to come in and stay a while. It’s not that parkways and parking aren’t important, but those aren’t the things that attract visitors to come to your town, the things that invite people to DRIVE TO your town instead DRIVE THROUGH. 

Since 2014, Downtown Scottsboro has been working towards giving people a reason to come spend time in our downtown, to make it a place for people to eat, play, shop and live. In 2018, we took a big step forward when we earned Main Street designation. We’ve hosted events that have grown in attendance, worked hard to improve the appearance of our square by planting flowers, weeding flower beds, and hanging flags and strings of twinkling lights on our light poles. Our latest big project has been to design a pocket park with public restrooms, a stage, a water fountain and tables all set in an inviting green space so our community can really enjoy and spend time on our beautiful square. It is a big project and at times we’ve felt we might have bitten off more than we can chew. We’ve gotten a Bynum grant, for which we are really grateful, but we are still a long way from having the money to complete the project. 

Last night, however, we got a big shot in the arm. Our city council voted to allocate $125,000 towards the project. This is huge and not only does it get us closer to our goal, it gives us incentive to keep trying. These council members proved last night that they are forward thinking and dedicated to building a better Scottsboro. Please remember them when it comes time to vote. They want a dynamic downtown, just like we all do. They want thriving businesses, attractive spaces and vibrant events and activities that make people want to come to our town to spend their money and their time, just like we do. So, thank our council members, Richard Bailey, Nita Tolliver, Ralph Dawe, Mike Ashburn and Donna Frederick. We can’t do anything without effective leadership and this council deserves our appreciation. They make hard decisions everyday and with this decision they showed their commitment to building a better and more dynamic downtown. And if you, like us, think a downtown park is something that our town needs, Main Street is happy to accept any donations towards this endeavor. Leadership is vital, but they can’t do it all by themselves. They need our help. We appreciate your support.

Spend a Day in Fairhope: 5 Uniquely Fairhope Things to Do

Welcome to Fairhope, You've Arrived! Arrived in paradise, that is, if your version of paradise is live oaks dripping with Spanish moss in a flower covered slice of heaven overlooking Mobile Bay. Fairhope is arguably on of the most picturesque small towns on the Gulf Coast. Here are five Uniquely Fairhope things to do in this sunshine covered hamlet. 

1. Let's start with The Grand Hotel Golf Resort and Spa. With a private beach, two 18-hole golf courses and a slew of high-end, exclusive experiences and events designed to cater to the needs of its discerning clientele, The Grand is, well, bliss. If you are looking for a memorable getaway, this beautiful resort is a wonderful place to start. 

2. Love a good book? Then you have to visit Page and Palette, a Fairhope landmark for over 40 years. With creaky wooden floors, shelves packed with amazing books and gifts and a bar and coffee shop in the back, Page and Palette is the kind of place where you can get lost for hours. 

3. For quirky and unique history, you must visit the handmade Hobbit hole, Henry Stuart House. Known as Tolstoy Park, the Henry Stuart House sits in the middle of a parking lot that was once the 10 acre woodland home of Henry Stuart, the Hermit of Montrose. In 1923, diagnosed with tuberculosis and living in Idaho, Stuart was advised to move to a warmer climate. He chose Fairhope and spent two years fashioning his own bricks to build his tiny round home. Finding Tolstoy Park can be challenging, but it is so worth the effort.

4. Eat the world's best beignets at Panini Pete's. Yes, New Orleans gets all the attention for Mardi Gras and beignets, but Alabama is home to the first Mardi Gras in the country and the most divine beignets. The powdered sugar pastries at Panini Pete's are airier and lighter than their Louisiana cousins. They come with a squeeze of lemon and they are delicious!

5. Visit the Fairhope Tea Plantation, the only tea farm in the state of Alabama. Savor a cup of the house tea and sit under the covered porch while you enjoy learning about one of the oldest tea plantations in the country. 

And there you are, five reasons to visit beautiful Fairhope. These five will get you started, but don't stop there! There is so much more to do and see and eat in this fair village. Once You've Arrived, be sure to come back and tell us what you discover.  

 

Spend a Day in Scottsboro: 5 Uniquely Scottsboro Things to Do

 Welcome to Scottsboro, where the mountains meet the lakes. I love that description of my town, because it’s so true. Scottsboro is nestled at the foot of the Cumberland Plateau to the north and sheltered by Sand Mountain to the east and south. It sits right on the banks of the Tennessee River and Lake Guntersville in Jackson County, home to the largest number of caves of any county in the state. Come spend a day in this pretty town! Here are five Uniquely Scottsboro things to do.

1. Come play at Goosepond Colony. Play a round of golf  or maybe you prefer to play on the water. You can go fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking or swimming. Then again, perhaps you like the woods. There are beautiful hiking trails and camp grounds, surrounded by 326 acres of serene woodland. 

2. Visit the world famous home of Lost Luggage, Scottsboro’s Unclaimed Baggage Center. You can spend hours combing through the store’s 50,000 square feet filled with everything from books and jewelry to electronics and apparel. If you love digging for treasure, Unclaimed has to be on your bucket list.

3. Have a sweet treat at Alabama’s oldest soda fountain, Payne’s. You can enjoy lunch, too. Try a red slaw dog, or my favorite, the Reuben with a side of potato salad. How about, Luanne’s favorite, a fountain coke with peanuts? You can’t leave Payne’s without a smile on your face.

4. Craving a meat and three? Step off Scottsboro’s historic square and head to Magnolia House. They have the best chicken fingers, coleslaw and mac ‘n cheese in town. Their strawberry pecan salad is delicious too, if you prefer something lighter. But don’t forget to ask for a roll with some strawberry or honey butter.

5. Pick up a sack of sausage rolls or homemade donuts at Variety Bake Shop on the square. I love their pork tenderloin biscuits, too. Did I mention the custard-filled chocolate covered donuts?

There you have it, your 5 point starting spot for all things Scottsboro, but don’t stop there! There’s so much more! Visit Scottsboro and tell us your favorites.