The National Main Street Conference was held in Philadelphia this past week. The excitement of traveling to a diverse city with great history and culture was so appealing to me. Although I was there to attended educational sessions to grow the Main Street Movement in Greenville, I wanted to see the city...and shop too!
After walking through "diverse" neighborhoods and figuring out the subway system, I started to miss my four block, pass your neighbor hood. I wondered if I had it too good in Greenville, that the not all cracked up to be big city didn't appeal to me anymore. My hunt for great boutiques was turned off by the fact that Greenville is better.
I could have bought really cool things. To say I got it in Philadelphia would make me sound like a world traveler with a great expense account, but why bother when I can buy the same great merchandise right here in my downtown and support my local community-- keeping my money in my community.
So I did the something I could only do in Philly--eat a Cheesesteak! The Philly experience expanded into being entertained by Mummers, seeing great interior design choices within historic buildings (Triumph Brewery's bathrooms are picture worthy!), touring a church by a relentless friar, and meandering through the mall at Independence Hall.
This experience has really made me appreciate what downtown Greenville can offer its community. You need not go far for great customer service, high class merchandise, and a sense of place in history. It's all right here. We just need to be willing to appreciate it.
P is for Philadelphia, G is for Greenville--Ohio that is.
