On Wednesday evening, 23 businesses in Bellville welcomed guests from all over Richland County for Be Focal Buy Local’s Halloween Shop Hop and Happy Hour. Festivities began and wrapped up at River Rock bar and grill, and visitors were provided with a map of the participating businesses.
Visitors had the chance to see the newly completed streetscape project while strolling from shop to shop. And not unlike a “Trick or Treat” for adults, each location had something to offer their visitors. Some businesses offered snacks or desserts, while others had door prizes.
There was live music as well as hot and cold appetizers at the River Rock and The Wishmaker House Bed and Breakfast offered guests appetizers, beer and wine.
One treat was a little old-fashioned wisdom at the local barber shop, Whitey’s. Whitey (Gale) Flockerzie, has the distinction of the most consecutive years in business of any business on Main Street, His shop opened in it’s current location in 1967. Over the years he’s seen the change in pace of life and what customers expect, but make no mistake, the barber shop as bastion of male camaraderie hasn’t given up the ghost yet.
“On a typical Saturday morning you’ll find thirteen guys in here, but only four of them are getting their hair cut, “ he said.
Just down the street Smith’s True Value Hardware is the sort of place you go when you need some knowledgeable advice, so much so that other hardware stores have been known to send their customers there.
Next to the bandstand on the town square is what arguably has become the crown jewel of the street, The Wishmaker House. Formerly Myers Furniture, the Smith family, who also own the hardware store, bought the building and completed a full-scale renovation from rafters to foundation, pillar to post, and everywhere in between.
The three year project completely modernized the building to current code with all the safety and handicapped accessibility features one would expect in new construction. This simply isn’t your run of the mill bed and breakfast: The Wishmaker House is stunning.
All of the rooms, save one, are named and themed for family members with an acute attention to detail. The entire building was made of wormy chestnut so during construction all that wood was saved, reclaimed and then re-purposed as the vanities in the bathrooms and the reception area and bar in the foyer.
Of particular interest to the Be Focal Buy Local group was the Smith’s commitment to local business throughout the construction project. Ninety-five percent of the work was completed by Bellville businesses, the remaining five percent were based in Richland County.
Other stops included McCauley’s Tax Service and the businesses that share her building, V&M Restaurant, Rainbow’s End Antiques, A&W Emporium, Griffon’s Jeweler’s, Bellville Flowers & Gifts, and more.
All of the restaurants offered specials for the event, so it’s safe to assume that if anyone went home hungry, the Bellville merchants aren’t to blame.
The evening wrapped up at the River Rock with a 50/50 drawing and door prizes. 26 businesses donated items or gift certificates for the event and the proceeds from the raffle will be used by Be Focal Buy Local for education and marketing initiatives.
