Phil Wieland, Times of Northwest Indiana
phil.wieland@nwi.com
VALPARAISO | Even in these tough economic times, the city's businesses continue to do well, which is one of the reasons Valparaiso was named the 2009 Community of the Year by the Indiana Chamber of Commerce.
"The economy is not fun for anybody, but this is the place you want to be now," said David Shurr, owner of David's Men's Clothier. "We've got a strong downtown, so we are really fortunate. The mayor has done some pretty amazing things and gotten money from other sources, and he's really paid attention to what he's doing."
Shurr said the beautification and the special liquor licenses the city got for the downtown is bringing more people to businesses from Wednesday through Saturday than he's ever seen. He said it encourages businesses to want to stay open later. The several restaurants that offer outdoor dining in the summer also are a big attraction.
"People don't have to say they are going to the mall for what they want anymore," he said. "If we don't have what they want, they can go to Target or Kohl's. It's a nice community to be in."
The downtown makes it a special city for Diane Nelson. Her business, Au Naturel Market, is in the Eastgate corridor, which has undergone a renovation and a rebirth in the past three years similar to what has happened in the downtown and the North Calumet Avenue area.
"I think the mayor has done a fabulous job of rebuilding the downtown," Nelson said. "I think it's a friendly, close-knit community, and the schools are outstanding. ... The fact I was able to open this business from the ground floor to where I am now in five years, it's obvious I've had the support of the community."
Being close to Chicago is an advantage for Hoosier Bat Co., owner Debbie Cook said.
"One of the reasons we've stayed here is we are close to Chicago and they have both major leagues there," Cook said. "If we need to get to a player, they will eventually make that rotation to Chicago. The central location means it takes equal time to ship to either coast."
Although close to the big city, Valparaiso has kept its small-town atmosphere, attitude and friendliness, she said.
Bob Philips, owner of Philips Ace Hardware, said friendliness in Valparaiso shows itself in many ways, especially in the way people help each other. He said he sees it in the way people stop to help motorists whose cars break down on the highway or fellow shoppers helping each other in the stores.
"We go to wait on a customer and someone else is already helping them," Philips said. "They almost wait on each other. In Valparaiso people talk to each other. I had an option to leave the business. We looked all over the U.S., and we couldn't find anywhere else we wanted to move to."
Along with good leadership in both the public and private sectors, a wide level of training available through Valparaiso University and Ivy Tech, a safe environment provided by the police and fire departments and plenty of compassionate resources through the churches and charities, to Joe Feller, of Heinold & Feller Tire Company, the key is the people.
"People that care about their families, homes, neighborhoods, schools and each other," Feller said. "For me, it's not just making a living at Heinold & Feller. It is the enjoyment of seeing customers come in each day who have become friends over the years. It makes it a pleasure to do business in Valparaiso."
Martin Binder Jeweler co-owner Bob Flude said even people who have moved away come back to do business in Valparaiso because of the sense of community. He said the downtown events, the retail businesses and the restaurants all make it a place people want to come home to.
"There's a lot of honest people in the community and a lot of hard workers," Flude said. "It shows because they take pride in their yard and it goes all the way up to the businesses. That's what makes it a good community."