Small business owners along St. Pete’s 34th Street corridor want to give the area a facelift.
They’ve joined together to form the 34th Street Small Business and Motel Association, hoping for what they are calling a miracle on 34th Street.
"We want to see growth, prosperity,” Glenn Wilder, owner of My Place in Recovery, said. “We want to see the vacationers coming down and intermixing with the community as well."
The association said it’s going to take some time to clean up the streets and they can’t do it alone.
"Maybe we can get in with the city to help beautify these buildings, to help bring out the history that these buildings have," Mary Daniels, a 34th Street Small Business and Motel Association member, said.
Instead of bringing in big box stores, the association wants to revive the home-grown businesses that have been there for generations. The group is hoping to get about 100 businesses to join them.
When they’re ready, Jessica Eilerman, St. Pete’s Small Business Liaison, said the city will be there to listen.
"We are really committed to helping promote and work with our businesses here, especially those that are along a district and corridor that want to come together and work for the benefit and betterment of that district or corridor,” Eilerman said.
With a unified voice, Eilerman said it will be easier to work together.
“It helps move issues forward faster,” Eilerman said.
The 34th Street Small Business Association said it hopes to hold annual banquets to recognize exceptional businesses and hopes to invite businesses from other areas to its events.