December 15 - 3rd Thursday 

Watch for more holiday events and information at:

www.downtownhutchinson.com 

or follow us on Downtown Hutch Facebook 

Other event info can be found at:  

www.whatsuphutch.com www.thirdthursdayhutch.com 

Third Thursday Facebook

Downtown Hutchinson has returned to a paper Downtown Hutchinson Gift Certificate this year, available in increments of $10 and $25, that can be purchased at the Downtown Office, 125 E. Avenue B, Monday through Friday. 

With the Christmas season upon us you might want to consider giving Downtown Gift Certificates to those people who are hard to buy for.  The Gift Certificates are easy to use.  Just visit www.downtownhutchinson.com and click on "Shop" "Eat" or "Do" for a list of Downtown merchants who will redeem the Downtown Gift Certificates for services, food, and merchandise.  Please present them to the merchant prior to use.

If you are a Downtown Hutchinson merchant, you will be seeing more of these gift certificates in circulation, and we ask that you accept them the same as cash and give the customer back any change due them.  After a merchant receives a Downtown Gift Certificate they can simply call Jim or Carol at the Downtown Office at 694-2677 or e-mail jims@hutchgov.com or carolm@hutchgov.com and Jim will bring you a check for the face value of the gift certificates that you have redeemed. 

Become a Downtown Hutchinson Supporter!

It is hard to believe that another year has come and gone already.  To me this has been an amazing year of great accomplishments downtown, despite the tough economy and record setting heat.  It seems the only rain or threat of rain this summer came on a Third Thursday, but they turned out great anyway!

I wish to acknowledge and thank the Board, Committee Chairs, their committees and our many volunteers (especially to RSVP whose help in organizing volunteers is invaluable) who gave over 1,037 volunteer hours in all to make downtown better.  Thanks too to Carol Mitchell for her tireless work and extra efforts for our organization.  Year after year they exceed expectations by creating one more event, a new program or training to better Downtown Hutchinson as a great place to visit, live, work or play and most importantly to do business in.

Just a few of their many accomplishments this year included the rebranding of Downtown Hutchinson, including a new website and Facebook page; a paper Gift Certificate Program; the removal of facades and the addition of new cornices on the west side of Main in the 300 block; an Antique Appraisal Fair filmed and aired on KPTS; and over 30 chili and soup teams participating in the Chili/Soup Festival on Saturday, October 29th.

I applaud the hard work and investment that many of you made to downtown this year, with $1,399,527 in building rehabs and $65,500 in façade improvements reported to Kansas Main Street based on building and occupancy permits this past year.  This doesn't include the many dollars that many of you spent on painting, signage and interior improvements to your properties.

I'm so excited for next year as the work plans approved by the board for 2012 include public art projects; block meetings to better plan and capitalize on downtown activities; an exciting calendar of events, including a new summertime event; façade improvement program and the completion of the work at Third and Main.

Our committees work so hard and give so much of their time . . . they sure could use some more help, so please join us in making downtown better in 2012.  To learn more about Downtown Hutchinson or joining a committee visit downtownhutchinson.com or call us at 694-2677.  We welcome help at downtown events too!

May you all have a wonderful Holiday Season and a fantastic New Year!

Jim

Please be a good neighbor when it snows!

A  property owner, proprietor or tenant in the Downtown District on Main Street from 7th to Avenue C and one block east and west are responsible to clear a path for pedestrian traffic free of ice and snow on your sidewalks by 10 am Monday through Saturday (excluding holidays), or as soon thereafter as the snowfall or (winter storm) ceases.  

 Incentive Without Walls Program 

If you would like to make improvements to your property in Downtown Hutchinson please call us at 694-2677 for more information on Kansas Main Street IWW no-interest loans to help fund your project.  We are in need of a strong project to compete for state funds this February.  We need about 3 to 4 weeks to prepare the application so please contact us right away!