Chickamauga renaissance plan begining to show retail growth

Plans to revitalize the historic town of Chickamauga, crafted over a period of months filled with meetings and surveys, are beginning to bear fruit.

Particularly regarding growth of the retail operations, both in its downtown business district and along U.S. Highway 27 to the east.

The downtown merchants have partnered with local government to host a monthly series of “First Friday” block parties. The purpose is twofold, these block parties offer opportunities to showcase small shops or businesses, and at the same time entertain residents and attract visitors.

Fanci Moore, the city’s director of tourism and events, said July’s event attracted nearly as many people — roughly 3,000 — as actually live within the city limits.

The city is not only drawing visitors, it is adding to its core of boutiques and mom-and-pop shops.

As an example, the city council this month approved leasing a city-owned building at 110 Gordon Ave. to Shannon Salisbury, owner of Chic Avenue Designs. Salisbury has relocated her business from Rossville.

In addition to renewed interest downtown, the area’s newest Hardee’s has opened at the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 with Lee and Gordon Mill Road and, about a block away, construction has begun on an O’Reilly’s Auto Parts store.

And while there are new — or, in the case of Chic Avenue, vintage retail growth — the city council has adopted an ordinance regarding trees.

City Manager Micheal Haney described the new ordinance as making certain the maintenance or removal of shade trees is regulated. The ordinance applies to trees on public spaces and in right of ways —not on private land.

The “tree ordinance” will establish rules for the trimming/removal of trees as necessary to protect the safety of utility workers and maintain delivery of utilities either above or below ground. The new law also requires replacement of trees that are removed.