Despite the rain and cooler temperatures, the Tyrone Merchants Association are calling this past Saturday’s summer celebration a success.
“Hundreds of people came to downtown Tyrone throughout the day, and I was pleasantly surprised considering the weather,” said Rob Orr, chairperson of the association and manager of Levine’s Shoefly.
Businesses held sidewalk sales and arts and crafts were protected from rain by canopies that lined the streets of Pennsylvania Avenue and Tenth Streets. And music filled the air from the stage at City Hotel Park.
“With the rain I didn’t know how it would work, but the retailers that I spoke with saw heavier than normal Saturday traffic, Levine’s Shoefly saw a 30 percent increase in traffic,” said Orr. “Our advertising worked and people that we talked to were happy to see downtown Tyrone doing something on a Saturday.”
The rain cleared up around 10:30 or 11:00 a.m. and then a short downpour hit around 4 p.m., but that didn’t keep people away from the day’s festivities.
Reports to The Daily Herald indicated that the churches did well with their bake sales and Bible Baptist Churches balloons for the kids was also a big hit.
Orr did add “that the crafters gave him mixed feelings on the day, blaming the rain, but would continue to come back to events.”
The Tyrone Merchants Association will use its advertising budget to piggyback with the Tyrone Community Partnership’s sidewalk sales coming up in August.
“We want to thank everyone who attended and shopped in downtown Tyrone,” said Orr. “The merchants of the downtown will welcome you.”
For his efforts in putting together the downtown event, Orr was awarded “The Outstanding Citizen of the Month Award” for the month of June by WTRN’s Cary Simpson.
