Hello, friends! Our first Ashland Main Street event of the year is coming up this weekend, and it is a fan favorite (if I do say so myself) – our See Upstairs Shop
Downtown Hidden Spaces and Shop Hop!
Phew; what a mouthful. Here’s all the information you need: we are having a super groovy event in downtown Ashland and you need to be there. The end.
Ok. Maybe a little more on that. As you have heard me go on and on and on (and on) about, our downtown is beautiful (and that’s not just me saying it because it’s my job- I said it the very first time I drove through the downtown. “What a gorgeous downtown!” True story).
When this downtown was built, it was built to last, and by people who took pride in their artistry, so a building that could be just a basic box is actually a beautiful example of 19th century Italianate architecture, complete with cornices and columns and corbelling and more.
And the builders didn’t slack off on the insides, either. You know how I love a good tin ceiling (a bad one doesn’t scare me off, either). Well, we have plenty of those, plus moldings and stained glass and wood floors (oh my!). The only thing that had been missing lately was people who knew these beauties existed, and right in our downtown.
Well, that’s where Ashland Main Street came in. We decided to invite you all downtown to check out a few of the amazing spaces we have, that have been hidden for years, or even decades. Some of you had seen them back in the day, and some of you had no clue they even exist. And now you get to see them, for a minimal ticket price that benefits us, your favorite downtown revitalization group!
That’s right- for a mere $10, you get to tour the Schine’s Theatre at 212 Center Street, both upstairs and down of 100 West Main Street (the new home of our very own Ashland Books), and, in true HGTV style, our “after”; the apartment at 147 B West Main Street.
The Schine’s Theatre has been closed for several years, and there is a dedicated non-profit working hard to restore it to its former glory. You have to walk through and check it out, because when it is finished, you can say “I saw it when” and be amazed at the transformation (and you can even help make that restoration process possible- find out
how on the tour!)
100 West Main (the only Queen Anne, and turreted building, in all of downtown Ashland) was most recently a lawyers’ office…a couple of decades ago. Ashland Books is moving onto Main Street and is super excited to be in this space, and also to show it off for us! You can even tour the upstairs, which is an apartment with all of the gorgeous fixings you would expect- pocket doors, hardwood floors, and more!
And after you’ve checked out some buildings at the prime of opportunity, you get to see what all that hard work and elbow grease can become; Marty Lee’s apartment at 147 B
West Main. This is the kind of apartment you see on HGTV and fantasize about living in. Well, you can do it here in Ashland, folks.
And how does one get to experience this tour of awesomeness? Well, you can pop into our office now until Friday, at 211 Claremont, and buy your tickets. Or, show up at the
theatre Friday or Saturday during the tour hours (4-7 Friday and 12-4 Saturday) and get your ticket right there, then explore a few of the hidden treasures downtown Ashland has to offer.
But wait! There’s more! While you’re in downtown Ashland, why don’t you take part in our shop hop! That’s right- our downtown businesses will be open later Friday and Saturday so you can get your shopping done during our tour (it IS Mother’s Day this Sunday, you know!)
Here’s a list of our participating stores and their offers: Free chair massages (Friday only) at Farm & Home Hardware; Ashland T-shirts 50% OFF at Superior Merch.; 10% OFF at South Street Antiques; 1/2 price hors d’oeuvres or $5 flight (with receipt from any downtown business during the shop hop hours) at Uniontown Brewing Co.; mystery discounts between 10% and 50% OFF at Truly Yours, Fashion; tea tasting and 60% OFF clearance at Bagnabit; game night with Masterminds at Downtown Perk; free carnation to first 25 customers (Friday only) and Mother’s Day cash & carry at Enjoy!; 60% off clearance, free earrings with a $50 purchase, free cami with a $100 purchase at Clothes Minded Boutique; 10% OFF all books (at their NEW location!) at Ashland Books; specialized riding apparel 40% OFF, free refreshments, 15% OFF 2017 bicycle models (at their NEW location!) at Ashland Bike Co; and raffle drawings, giveaways, and refreshments at Willow & Vine.
And that’s just the stores with specials; there are even more great retail spots downtown just waiting for your visit! So come check it all out!
Our Shop Hop is Friday until 7 p.m. and Saturday until 4 p.m., which gives you tons of time to buy something nice for your mom, your grandma, your friends, and you. (And your favorite Main Street director even.) We hope to see you all enjoy this gorgeous weekend in the best way possible- by shopping, and exploring, our amazing downtown!
