The Owensboro Chamber of Commerce is working to create new business and new opportunities for downtown living, hoping to build off the last 10 years of downtown’s transformation.
There are quite a few vacant storefronts in the heart of Downtown Owensboro right now, and the Chamber of Commerce is hoping a missing component will bring more foot traffic to keep retailers around.
“There’s a missing middle right now in our downtown housing offerings, where it’s not open to a broad range of people who may want to take advantage of downtown living,” Candance Brake the President and CEO of the Owensboro Chamber of Commerce said.
However, with the Brio Project on the west side of town, small businesses like Escape Today are moving downtown.
“We wanted to be in downtown to be apart of that culture and add a unique experience,” Max Garvin the co-owner of Escape Today said. “It’s been tough finding the right location. We have a very unique and different business so putting everything we need in the same area can be quite a challenge.”
The escape room business, which also includes ax throwing, a rage room and arcade games, will also open their own brewery on West Second Street, filling two buildings that have been empty for years.
“We want people to come into downtown and be like ‘hey, wow, Owensboro’s a really cool city, we’re going to come back here next year too and try out some different things’,” Garvin said. “But we really love Owensboro and want to make it a great place.”
By Katie Kapusta WFIE