The presence of a national chain, particularly one as aggressively franchised as Jimmy John’s subs, demonstrates a greater level of confidence in the viability of this main street as an attractive locus for commerce than all the plantings, park benches, and brick sidewalks in the world. A predictable chain restaurant may not be what the Jefferson City’s downtown boosters were craving, and it hardly indicates that the small city’s main street is a major shopping destination, but at least it shows that it’s strong enough that a business leader with some capital was willing to give a chance to some real estate as close to the center of it all as you can get.
This blog article recently prompted the Jefferson City News-Tribune to follow up on my article, interviewing me further about my impressions and including more of the history of revitalization than I ever knew coming into it. I encourage my readers to take a look, and feel free as always to post comments here or wherever you like. Thanks again.
