Despite nerves, DDB chair 'pleased' with turnout at 'Downtown Reimagined' event
"It's just like if you have a party. You never know if people are going to show up."
Mount Pleasant Vice Mayor Allison Lents barely ate before Thursday's "Downtown Reimagined" event. She was too nervous no one would show up.
Her nerves settled as viewers streamed into the building she owns at 117 South Main Street — The New Yorker. The three-level building built in 1937 housed a retail store owned by Jack and Trudy Karr. Lents bought it in 2013.
Lents's property was one of six being showcased Thursday evening in Downtown Mount Pleasant. The "Downtown Reimagined" event was held during the city's weekly "Thrilling Thursdays" event and a Max and Emily's concert.
"It's just like if you have a party. You never know if people are going to show up," Lents said.
Chair of the city's Downtown Development Board and owner of Motorless Motion, Lents said she hoped the event would garner interest in all six properties and "inspire people" to bring business downtown.
"I was hoping a lot of people would come down and be interested in not only (The New Yorker), but all the spaces in downtown, have ideas and be inspired to think about a business plan they've had in the back of their minds and see if they could actually bring it to life," she said. "I'm really pleased with the number of people who have come and said 'Oh, I want to do this with this,' or 'I'm really interested in doing this with that."
The event puts the information needed to begin a business downtown in one spot, Lents said.
Mount Pleasant realtor Sara Dosenberry said she had patrons from outside of Isabella County come Thursday to view the building at 221 West Michigan St.
"For any potential investors to come in, I think it's a great event for them," she said. "In case there is someone outside of Mount Pleasant who wants to invest in Mount Pleasant, then I think it's a great opportunity for them to see what we do have available and what we can offer."
For anyone interested in purchasing a property downtown, Dosenberry said to contact the listing agent and see about scheduling a showing.
Here's the full address list of the properties showcased Thursday:
