Specialty shops are becoming the trend in Bradford’s downtown,
explained Main Street Manager Diane DeWalt on Wednesday.

She explained there are 48 retail stores in the downtown, “20 of
which are new to the downtown in the last few years. Of the 48
stores, 62 percent are open past 5 o’clock every weeknight.

“People need to know Main Street doesn’t close at 5 p.m.,”
DeWalt said.

She added that the downtown has a lot to offer, including more
than a dozen places to eat.

And contrary to recent rumors, Buck’s Pizza is staying put. When
Movie World announced plans to close, rumors began circulating
about the restaurant closing as well.

“No plans in regard to that at this point,” said Buck’s Pizza
owner, Gary Akers, on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, DeWalt said there continues to be quiet progress on
the small business front.

“We’ve got a lot of shops that have quietly opened over the last
few years,” she said. Some, like Grandma’s House and Blueberry Hill
Country, started out in the Main Street Mercantile and then moved
on to success on their own. In fact, one store is expanding for a
second time, DeWalt said.

“Blueberry Hill Country is expanding into 3,000 square feet or
so … into what had been Jack & Jill Shop,” she explained.
DeWalt said owner Amber Kalac hopes to open her new location –
across Main Street from her first expansion out of the Mercantile –
within the next few weeks.

And the Mercantile continues to do well, she added. “The sales
in the second year were more than double the sales in the first
year. That’s a great sign … and it continues to grow.

“We have a new store opening, Paper and Pages on Kennedy
Street,” DeWalt continued. “It’s a scrapbooking supply store.
They’ve been working on a business plan for quite awhile.”

She said the owners had met with Fran Nickel about working out
of a portion of her store, as she is downsizing to prepare for
retirement.

“We just recently had the new espresso bar,” she said, referring
to The Emery Espresso Bar located on Boylston Street.

“Another fairly new business is Performance Image,” she added,
explaining the store opened in the former Vincent’s Jeweler’s
location. “It’s kind of like an auto detailing shop. They sell a
lot of after-market things for vehicles and upgrades that guys like
to do to their cars and trucks.”

She mentioned Designer Threads as a business which has grown on
Main Street.

“That’s really a nice little shop,” she said. “When she started,
it was a children’s consignment shop that has grown and done a
really good business.”

Also in the downtown is Just Riding Along, a bicycle shop on
Mechanic Street. “He draws a lot of out-of-town people,” DeWalt
mentioned. “Several of the newer places do cater to the tourist
traffic and out-of-town traffic, which needs to be a consideration.
We don’t have a huge population.

“We need the tourist trade to help our market,” she said.

And while the construction of U.S. Route 219 might confuse some
motorists, DeWalt doesn’t think it has been much of a drawback for
those intent on finding good stuff in Bradford.

“Some of the detours may bring people through town that may not
have come through town before,” she said. “The construction is
always inconvenient, but we’re all looking forward to the
result.

“If folks haven’t been downtown in awhile, take advantage of
some of the festivals coming up,” she said. “Visit the downtown and
go to some of the shops. They’re fun to visit.”