Editor’s Note: We published the above editorial Friday in our
sister newspaper, the Morgan Hill Times. Wouldn’t it be nice if The
Dispatch could publish a a similar editorial about Gilroy in a few
years?
Editor’s Note: We published the above editorial Friday in our sister newspaper, the Morgan Hill Times. Wouldn’t it be nice if The Dispatch could publish a a similar editorial about Gilroy in a few years?
Morgan Hill’s thriving downtown is something the entire community can be proud of. From the beautiful Community Center at the south end to the police station at the north that seemingly everyone wants to turn into a restaurant, to all the shops and eateries in between, the beautiful brick-lined, flag-draped city center is truly our town’s heart and soul.
Just look at all the attention the possibility that the police station at the northwest corner of Monterey Street and Main Avenue has brought from restaurateurs. At least three businessmen have publicly shared ideas for turning the building containing drunk tanks, evidence lockers, dispatching equipment and a bank vault into a fine dining establishment.
Unlike the “gateway” location at Cochrane at U.S. 101, which has gone begging for sit-down restaurants for at least two years, it seems people can’t wait to invest in an eatery in downtown Morgan Hill.
Then there’s the coffee shop at Second and Monterey streets. The Coffee Roasting Club closed May 27 but wasn’t shuttered for long. It has already reopened – now dubbed the Second Street Coffee Exchange.
We’re thrilled that so many diverse businesses – from an art and framing shop to a bookstore, from a toy store to a cinema, from a bike store to beauty salons and beyond – find downtown Morgan Hill to be a friendly and profitable place to do business.
Downtown is home to a farmer’s market for several months each year, and Friday Night Music Series entertains residents all summer long.
The veteran’s memorial hosts solemn events on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and the Fourth of July. Every year, Christmas and Independence Day parades wind their way through the historic city center, which also plays host to the Taste of Morgan Hill each September.
As citizens, let’s do all we can to keep it that way. We encourage residents to support their downtown businesses. This benefits our community in two ways. It keeps our sales taxes dollars in city coffers,and it keeps downtown businesses profitable and open.
Let’s make sure downtown Morgan Hill remains a the beautiful, vibrant place it is today. Shop and dine in downtown Morgan Hill.
