April 9, 2008

Community Invited to ‘Brunch & Browse’ at Downtown Sunday Celebration

Nearly 25 downtown Delaware stores and restaurants will be open for business Sunday afternoon as part of a new “Brunch & Browse” event organized by Main Street Delaware.

The shops will be open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday to showcase all of the unique items they have to offer. Main Street Delaware, a nonprofit organization that supports the city’s historic downtown, also will provide free, half-hour walking tours at 1 p.m., 2 p.m., and 3 p.m., weather permitting. All tours will meet on the green space at South Sandusky and William streets.

“This is an exciting event for downtown,” says Frances Jo Hamilton, executive director of Main Street Delaware. “It continues the effort of downtown merchants to expand opportunities for people to shop and dine at times that may better fit their busy lifestyles. I hope we get a good crowd. Like our monthly First Friday events, we hope to make ‘Brunch & Browse’ a regular event.”

April 13 was chosen for the first “Brunch & Browse,” in part, because it coincides with Ohio Wesleyan’s yearly “Slice of College Life” event. The event will bring as many as 250 admitted students and their families to campus on Sunday and Monday. For many students, the event will help them to decide whether to make Ohio Wesleyan their home for the next four years.

“Being able to show off our downtown along with our campus is important,” says Laurie Patton ’95, OWU’s senior associate director of admission/events coordinator. “Families often want to experience the flavor of the local community, and this will help them to do that. This is a great opportunity for the University and downtown to work together.”

Businesses scheduled to participate in Sunday’s event include:

• Keiko’s Bead Box, 20 S. Sandusky St.
• Everest Gear, 4 N. Sandusky St.
• Bare Bowl, 6 N. Sandusky St.
• Toujours, A Consignment Store, 8 N. Sandusky St.
• DPS Antiques, 17 N. Sandusky St.
• White Home Antiques, 24 N. Sandusky St.
• Beehive Books (wireless available), 25 N. Sandusky St.
• Snouffer Apparel, 26 N. Sandusky St.
• (Not on the) Corner Framing, 27 N. Sandusky St.
• Simple Indulgences, 31 N. Sandusky St.
• Global Village Collection, Your Free Trade Store, 37 N. Sandusky St.
• Delaware County Bank and Trust, 41 N. Sandusky St.
• Salt Box Interiors, 47 N. Sandusky St.
• Mantras, 51 N. Sandusky St.
• Rosie Spumoni’s, 51 N. Sandusky St.
• Delaware Pet Stuff, 77 N. Sandusky St.
• Fundamentals Parent Teacher Store, 25 W. Winter St.
• Pawsitively Purrfect Treatery, 26 W. Winter St.
• The Strand Theatre (movie matinees at 1:30 & 4 p.m. Sunday), 28 E. Winter St.

Restaurants and taverns scheduled to be open for lunch and dinner include:

• Subway, 16 S. Sandusky St.
• The Backstretch Bar, 14 S. Sandusky St.
• The Mean Bean Caffeine Lounge (wireless available), 2 N. Sandusky St.
• Old Bag of Nails Pub, 66 N. Sandusky St.
• Buns Restaurant, 14 W. Winter St.

In addition, William Street United Methodist Church, 28 W. William St., and St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 45 W. Winter St., are inviting visitors to come take part in their Sunday services or to come from noon to 1 p.m. for special “Brunch & Browse” coffee hours.

For more information about the city’s downtown, visit www.mainstreetdelaware.org. To learn more about “Slice,” visit http://admission.owu.edu/slice.html.

– Cole Hatcher