Thank you to all who donated to Main Street Homer’s 2024 Community Foundation of North Louisiana Give for Good campaign! We had 72 donors helping us raise over $13,000 to continue to revitalize Homer through economic development, historic and cultural preservation, and advancement of the arts. You can see your investments paying off in downtown Homer with the current renovation of three downtown buildings. The two buildings at 421 and 423 West Main Street are in the final stages of construction and the Pan American Filling station will soon be under construction with final bids having been submitted last Tuesday 5/21.
So, what can you expect from these three renovation projects? The 421 building will house a new business incubator space in the front with a rear office space. Look for the Homer High School Future Business Leaders of American and Homer High Junior Main Street to be the first to inhabit the space with a pop-up business as part of their FBLA state project. The 423 building will likely be either sold or leased as retail or restaurant space. We have already had some inquiries, but it is too early to make any firm announcements at the time of this writing. The Pan Am Filling Station will house the Harvest Time Homer Famer’s Market Store, selling fresh produce and locally sourced food items supporting the Saturday Farmer’s Market that has become a favorite for locals and tourists alike. The Farmer’s Market Store will be open on weekdays too!
In other exciting news, three new businesses will be opening soon in downtown Homer. Honey’s on the Square Bistro and Creamery will open on the north side of the square between NannaPuddins and Square Roots Salon, offering lunch items including some you might remember from Martha’s Bistro, along with ice cream treats.
Two new antique stores will be coming to Homer, one on the south side of the square in the old Flowers and More space, and the second named Apple Pie on West Main Street in the old Side Store building by Thomas Auto. These two new stores make a total of five antique stores in downtown Homer. Looks like a trend that will undoubtedly bring more shopping traffic to downtown Homer increasing tourism and sales tax.
They say, “If you build it, they will come” and with the support of generous donors with the Give for Good campaign, Main Street Homer continues to build the infrastructure needed to support new businesses and create a welcoming atmosphere that makes people and businesses want to come to Homer.