Main St. Retailers Establish Downtown District

The Daily Reporter wrote Main St. retailers attempt to establish themselves as a distinct downtown district

MELANIE MCINTYRE

05/08/2007

A diverse group of business owners in Columbus’ downtown have come together to establish themselves as a new district, and they are hoping a special event this weekend will help put them on the map.

“In the last three to five years, our area has enjoyed a nice revitalization. There have been several new condo buildings and units put in and new retail shops and businesses to go with them,” said Jeffrey Zettler, vice president of Zettler Hardware Co.

The district encompasses the area south of City Center mall, east of the RiverSouth neighborhood, and west of the Discovery Special Improvement District, generally falling into a “no-man’s-land” within the city proper, Zettler said.

He said the business owners in the neighborhood have begun calling their slice of town the “Red Brick District on Main” because they believe the area’s red brick buildings are its most “universal identifying characteristic.”

The decision to informally name their neighborhood stemmed from a desire to “brand” it, so locals become aware of the distinct products and services it offers, and to note that the area isn’t “just scenery you pass on your daily commute in and out of downtown,” he said.

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