A small downtown would seem to have no plans of expansion in a stuggling economy, but several people are taking steps to buck the trend.
There are many steps that must be taken to expand downtown Auburn.
"The city has first had to change some of the zoning codes," said Chris Kearns, secretary of the Auburn Downtown Merchants Association. "This is helping to direct and guide people to reinvest downtown."
Billy Cox and Nazmi Ozokur, co-franchise owners, are two entrepreneurs who have decided to invest in downtown Auburn by opening a Tropical Smoothie and creating space for more stores in the area.
Kearns said the location on West Glenn Avenue is currently under construction, but when completed it will be a one-story brick building with patio seating in the front and parking in back.
Tropical Smoothie and Island Wings are the two businesses that Coz and Ozokur will be bringing to the building.
There are also plans for a small store specializing in Apple computers--not an official Apple store--to take residence in the building.
Challenges with the city have caused delays in the completion of the building, but Ozokur said they hope to have Tropical Smoothie operating by March.
"Tropical Smoothie serves breakfast, lunch and dinner," Ozokur said. "Our prices range from $1.99 to $9.99. We have a little bit of everything."
Ozokur said Island Wings will be similar to Buffalo Wild Wings, but without the extended menu.
"It is like a sports bar that offers beer, wine, fried chicken, grilled chicken and more," Ozokur said.
Beyond this construction on Glenn Avenue, Auburn's CompPlan 2030 proposes expanding downtown over the next several decades.
"I would prefer our downtown to be a little big bigger, but I would prefer it to get there gradually," Kearns said. "We have had more construction and businesses come in the last two years than we have had in the five years before that.
"I think it could be a little bit bigger, but it is getting there."
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