As president of the Main Street Mount Vernon Board of Directors, Sara Stoessel’s major goal for 2021 is simple.
“I want the downtown experience to be what it was before the pandemic,” she told the Mount Vernon News. “But I want to do that in the safest way. We’re really going to have to push for innovation and new ways to draw people in without creating a public health issue.”
Many Mount Vernon residents long for the return of First Fridays, which traditionally attract thousands of people downtown for food and fun but were cut short in 2020 because of COVID-19.
Exactly when First Fridays will return is still unknown, Stoessel said. As with so many other things, it all depends on the pandemic.
“We can’t promise,” she said. “But that is our goal. If there is a way we can do it, we’re going to do it.”
First Fridays are usually held from June through September.
“That’s not changing as of now,” Stoessel said.
As everyone waits to see what happens with the pandemic between now and the summer, Main Street Mount Vernon is planning a “Hometown Heroes” campaign for downtown.
“You’re going to see banners of people in uniforms, thanking them for their service,” Stoessel said. “That’s going to be really special. We’re going to try to create that tradition as best we can.”
Another program in the works is “Mount Vernon Strong,” which will feature bumper stickers and T-shirts to promote unity in the city and recognize unsung heroes.
Downtown Mount Vernon is a “gem,” said Stoessel, who is the director of Performance Improvement at Knox Community Hospital.
Before moving to Mount Vernon, she lived in Pickerington.
“That downtown does not have the walkability that we have in Mount Vernon,” Stoessel said.
She is a constant advocate for downtown Mount Vernon.
“The people are fantastic,” Stoessel said. The merchants speak and connect with their customers when they walk in.
She constantly expresses her enthusiasm to her coworkers at the hospital.
“Have you been downtown?” she asks them. “Did you know that the Alcove (Restaurant) is still taking reservations? Have you been to the Stein? It’s fantastic.”
Many people don’t realize all that is downtown, including the Woodward Opera House and other landmarks.
“We really need to promote downtown,” Stoessel said. “I don’t think people realize what a gem it is.”
