HONESDALE, Pa. — For one of the newest businesses on the main strip in Honesdale, this weekend is an opportunity to bring in new customers.
"We do try to grab every opportunity we can within the town. We do have a large space to use, one of the largest spaces on Main Street," said business owner Mike Fochino. "We try to offer it out in any way that we can."
Fochino and several other business owners are gearing up for the Honesdale Sidewalk Sales and Artisan Fair this weekend.
Businesses like Finders Keepers, owned by Jill McConnell, are working with the Greater Honesdale Partnership to bring community vendors out on the street with sidewalk displays, a town-wide happy hour, and live music.
"Really, since COVID, we've had a lot of new businesses and new community come in that are very supportive of Main Street," said McConnell. "We've got new restaurants, new retail establishments, some new breweries."
Longtime Main Street staples like Arts Clothing and Shoes are getting ready for the busy weekend. The store has been a part of the event since it began back in the early 1960s.
"My father and several other businesses in Honesdale, businessmen got together and started this thing," said Tom Fasshauer, owner of Arts Clothing and Shoes. "In those days, it was sidewalk sales. It was a huge, I mean, a huge success for many years."
As the downtown has remained pretty much the same, the sidewalk sale has evolved a bit. For Fasshauer, it's all a part of the times.
"You got to change with the times. It's not all about the product we're selling at a low price. It's an event for fun, something for people to do," said Fasshauer.
The event runs from July 14 to July 16, with a town-wide happy hour from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
For more information on events happening in Honesdale, visit the Greater Honesdale Partnership.
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