Visioning tour leads to business ideas

A salad restaurant, record store, vintage arcade and bumper car room are just some of the ideas which resulted from a recent Community Visioning Tour in Pontiac.

Members of the community brainstormed about four vacant buildings downtown and everyone wrote down what they would like to see in those vacant buildings.

Here are some of the ideas for spaces in downtown Pontiac:

105 N Mill St - Doctors Office, Pet Shop w/ Grooming, Child Care, Gun Shop, Pop Up Shop, Computer & Phone Repair

107 N Mill St - Salad Restaurant, Bookstore, Record Store, Barcade, Arcade, Hippie Type Shop, Pub/Brewery, Baskin Robbins Type Place w/ Seating, Pop Up Store front for Rent, Fresh Produce Store, Meat & Cheese Shop, Educational Toys for Kids, Tea/Coffee Bookstore, 

123 W Madison St - Vintage Arcade, Yoga/Pilates Studio, Soda Shop, Candy Store, Antique Consignment, Brewery/Tasting Room, Teen Hangout, Play Cafe, Lego Store, Soda Fountain, Roof Top Bar, Pet Store w/ Grooming, Clothing Store, Bumper Car Room, a Quiet Restaurant, Brewery, Gym, Barcade, Art Gallery, Microbrewery

203 W Madison St - Bookstore, Hat Store, Wine & Cheese Bar, Gift Shop, Dry Cleaners & Seamstress, Yarn Shop, Record Store, Specialty Food Shop, Pet Store, Bike Shop, Yoga Studio, Bulk Bin/Dry Goods, Photo Studio, Chocolate Shop, Container Gardening/Succulent Store, Pickle Store, Olive Oil Tasting, Kitchen Gadgets, Home Decor, Tasting Room, Maker Studio (3-D Printing, Tools, etc.)

The next step is utilizing the data. A Community Visioning Tour is described as getting a group of people together who are invested in the downtown to view vacant spaces. The idea is to show community members the spaces available and the potential each space holds to become a successful, thriving downtown business.