[Source: Jim Keyworth, Payson Roundup] -- As members of the brand new Main Street Merchants' Committee mingled with a mix of town staff, council members, and candidates Monday evening, you'd never guess that Main Street's lone full-service restaurant had just been shuttered. "(MSMC) is just getting on its feet and really starting to move," said Carol McCauley, Main Street project manager. "It's a very good group. It's a very active group. They really want to be part of the town, and they want the town to know they are part of the town."The mood was upbeat at the first open house of the recently-formed committee. At a time when Main Street is struggling for public support, the message they wanted to convey was simple. The 68 businesses along the town's historic main drag are united and taking charge of their own future. "As the different merchants get really involved, they'll be taking over a lot of the program," McCauley said. "It's a positive move forward for Main Street."
Mike Stuart, owner of Gasoline Alley and president of the new merchants' committee, opened the event. "There's no formal program tonight," he said. "It's just a chance for all the businesses to talk to staff." McCauley, who served on the Oceanside, CA Town Council before moving to Payson, said the formula for the merchants' committee is a solid one. "When I was on the council in Oceanside, I served as kind of a liaison between the council and Main Street, and (Main Street) seemed to evolve out of the merchants association," she said. "Now we are getting the merchants involved and getting them to take over as much of the program as they can. The only way it's going to be successful is if it has (the merchants') buy-in."
Robert Herrera, one of the new owners of the Oxbow, said he was sorry to see Mad Dawg's and Mel's close because of the boost two restaurants would have given to Main Street. Herrera hopes to open a steak house restaurant at the Ox Bow Saloon in May. "I was hoping (Mad Dawg's) was staying open," he said. "The more things we have on Main Street, the better."
[Note: To read the full article, click here. Photo source of Payson's Lone Pine Hotel: Town of Payson.]
