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September 15, 2025 11 mins

In today’s episode, we explore the Keys to the Downtown District — a new recognition program celebrating the businesses and people who make Historic Downtown Perry thrive.

From milestone anniversaries to exciting new ventures, the Keys shine a spotlight on the heart of our community. Hear how this initiative began, what it means for Perry’s future, and how you can join us in celebrating the stories that keep downtown vibrant.

Whether you’re a longtime resident or just discovering Perry, this episode gives you a behind-the-scenes look at the charm, creativity, and connections that make our downtown the place Where Georgia Comes Together.

Learn more about the Keys to the Downtown District: perry-ga.gov/keys

If you like Inside Perry - subscribe and share the podcast with friends and family. The podcast is available on all major podcast platforms.

Visit us at perry-ga.gov.

We hope to see you around in our amazing community...Where Georgia Comes Together.

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Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tabitha Clark (00:00):
Welcome to the Inside Perry podcast, where you
get an inside look at Perry,georgia's local government.
We're glad you chose Perry,where people make the difference
.
Whether you stay a few hours ora lifetime, your time in Perry
will be rewarding andunforgettable.
I'm Tabitha Clark,communications Director for the
City of Perry.
Today we're unlocking somethingnew.

(00:25):
Literally we're diving into theKeys to the Downtown District,
a new recognition program thatcelebrates the businesses at the
heart of historic downtownPerry, from new openings and
expansions to anniversaries andmilestones.
This program is all abouthonoring the entrepreneurs who
make downtown vibrant, welcomingand unique.

(00:46):
So today we're going to talk toAlicia Hartley, downtown Manager
, about why the program wascreated and what it means to our
business community and thestories behind the very first
recipients.
So, alicia, how are you?
Good afternoon, it's good to behere.
Thank you, awesome.
So this new, brand, newinitiative, kind of, you know,
giving a pat on the back andhonoring those that have not

(01:07):
only established businesses inPerry but to have decided to
invest more and expand Correct,all right.
So let's talk about, kind of,the purpose of the program.
So what inspired the creationof the Keys to the Downtown
District program?

Alicia Hartley (01:25):
creation of the Keys to the Downtown District
program.
So we were looking for anotherinitiative that the Main Street
Advisory Board could spearheadwhen it comes to celebrating our
businesses that are here in thedistrict.
So one thing that we learnedthrough our other downtown
partners from across the stateis that you celebrate your wins,
no matter how big or small.
You celebrate them and youshout them from the rooftop and
you tell anyone you can,regardless of how big or small

(01:46):
that win or that triumph orachievement must be.
So that's our goal here.
That's the purpose of this newprogram is to celebrate all of
our downtown successes, all ofour businesses, whether they've
been here for 20 years, whetherthey're opening or they just
expanded into the space next tothem, offering new services.
They invested in a major rehabor restoration of their building

(02:06):
facade, or they just expandedinto the space next to them
offering new services.
They invested in a major rehabor restoration of their building
facade.
We just want to showcase thesebusinesses and show them that we
, as the Main Street AdvisoryBoard, their downtown partners
and neighbors, that weappreciate their continued
investment.

Tabitha Clark (02:18):
That's wonderful.
So when I hear you and I readabout it, I automatically think
well, how is this different froma ribbon cutting Sure?

Alicia Hartley (02:27):
So overall, a format is going to be very
similar, where we have anintroduction of the business and
we're celebrating with ourcommunity partners.
That's very similar to atraditional ribbon cutting, but
most traditional ribbon cuttingsare to mark a grand opening or
a new opening, and that's notthe case for this program.
This program is for more thanjust a new business.

(02:47):
While that is a reason for usto celebrate and present a key
to the downtown district, it'salso for milestones or those
building rehabilitations.
So we really get to capturethat historic preservation
effort and focus that the MainStreet Advisory Board places on
our work in downtown.
We're able to celebrate morethan a traditional ribbon
cutting with this type ofprogram.

Tabitha Clark (03:08):
Yeah, I really like it, Just like you said,
celebrating all of those wins.
That's right, because all ofthose wins ultimately impact
thriving downtown.

Alicia Hartley (03:17):
Yes, yes, exactly.
It's why we have what we havehere today, that's right.

Tabitha Clark (03:21):
So why was it important to create a program?
You talked a little bit aboutthe wins and everything, but why
is it important to create thisprogram that celebrates both new
and existing businesses?

Alicia Hartley (03:33):
At the crux of it, entrepreneurship and small
business development.
It's tough.
It's not easy Seeing what ourbusinesses go through through,
like the highs of the holidayseason but then some of the
lower, slower periods of thesummer months when people are
traveling or school's out.
We really want to celebratethose wins and celebrate those

(03:53):
triumphs, and it's about beingintentional, giving some
intentionality to celebrate bothnew and existing businesses.

Tabitha Clark (04:00):
I love that.
So let's talk about kind of thecommunity impact and existing
businesses.
I love that.
So let's talk about kind of thecommunity impact.
So what do you believe themessage is about?
Presenting something as smallas a ceremonial key sent to our
downtown business owners and theresidents as well.

Alicia Hartley (04:14):
Yes, the message we're trying to send here is
that we value their investmentin downtown Perry.
Like we see you, we know thatyou've been working really hard
at this, we know that theinvestment was not thought of
lightly and to recognize theirwork and to show that we
appreciate them for everythingthat they've put in.
It's not just a monetaryinvestment, but their whole

(04:34):
family is bought into thesesmall businesses often so it's
the crowd work, it's the groupwork, the family work, that's in
the sacrifices that arecommitted and made.
So we want to show them that wevalue that type of investment
here in downtown.

Tabitha Clark (04:47):
And I think that's something that we also
take for granted too is we seelike a business owner and we see
like the cute stores and thegreat displays and all that.
But it's actually a bigger dealwhen you really kind of open
your mind to it.

Alicia Hartley (05:00):
You got to think about the family that's there,
the individual that opened thatbusiness, whether that small
business owner has anotherfull-time job like outside of
their storefront, or, you know,the Saturdays that they might
miss a travel, ball tournamentor something.
So they can go work at theirsmall businesses.
There's sacrifices that aremade all the time through small

(05:21):
businesses and, like I saidearlier, it's not an easy path.
But we want to appreciate themand show them that their
investment and dedication todowntown Perry is seen and
appreciated.

Tabitha Clark (05:33):
I love that.
So that goes right into my nextquestion about how do these
celebrations help encourage morepeople to invest or visit
downtown Perry.

Alicia Hartley (05:43):
Yeah, so we're highlighting businesses that
visitors may not know about.
I know we're going to talkabout Clover Wine, since they've
been our first recipient butyou know, some people may not
know that Clover Wine's beendowntown for five years now.
So to highlight that to newvisitors that might be downtown
and and sharing that andbringing the attention to new
businesses.
So when we with, if and when wecelebrate a new business with a

(06:04):
ceremonial key to the downtowndistrict, that'll highlight and
kind of be a way to announcethat this business is ready for
new customers.

Tabitha Clark (06:11):
And two, if you think about how Clover will get
into their story, how they'veevolved in five years, that's
right.
I mean they started off as juststrictly a wine shop right,
yeah, yeah.
And then now they've got afull-blown restaurant in the
back.

Alicia Hartley (06:26):
Exactly, exactly and so like.
That's the kind of the storythat we're hoping to tell
through these key presentationceremonies is we hear right from
the business owner directlywhat their journey's been like
how they've enjoyed downtownPerry over their time of being
here, what they're optimisticfor, what they're looking
forward to, and how the businesshas changed and evolved over
time.

Tabitha Clark (06:46):
So tell me about.
I know we've already had thefirst ceremony, which we'll link
in the comments to all thosewonderful pictures, but kind of
put me in the middle of whathappened and what was said
during that ceremony.

Alicia Hartley (06:57):
Yeah.
So in early September wecelebrated Clover Wine Merchant
as the first recipient to theKeys to the Downtown District
program.
They were celebrating fiveyears of receiving their
certificate of occupancy onCarroll Street.

Tabitha Clark (07:11):
That's crazy to think it's been five years.
Five years Because they startedduring COVID.
That's right.

Alicia Hartley (07:15):
That's right so they were opening a business in
the throes of COVID.
You know, michael and Lynettewere telling me that they
started opening before theyofficially got their CEO.
The city gave them permissionto do some pop-ups, that's right
that they were coming soon to,you know, jive up some
excitement and then.
So that's why in earlySeptember we celebrated five
years of them actually occupyingthat storefront.

(07:36):
So it was really warm and fuzzyfeeling, but then a sense of
like, genuine like, excitement,love for downtown and love for
the community and the supportthey received in the five in the
special five years.
It was really a special andwholesome moment hearing from
Michael and Lynette share theirstory about how they came over
to Georgia during COVID fromCalifornia and their growth and

(08:00):
time that they've been here.
Like you said, they did startoff as retail.
Now they got a restaurant, yeah.
Now they got a full liquorlicense.

Tabitha Clark (08:07):
That's right, that's right, they got.

Alicia Hartley (08:08):
Alva's Candies located in there.
Oh, and they're so good,they're so good little like
chocolate truffles and cute too,and cute they're beautifully,
they're beautifully designed.

Tabitha Clark (08:17):
It's like art.

Alicia Hartley (08:19):
It almost so good you don't want to eat.
I know right, it looks sopretty.
You don bread and sellingloaves of bread too, so like
that just shows the evolutionand growth of some of these
businesses and the investmentthat they're making into their
businesses over the course offive years.
Like five years sounds short,but it's a huge triumph and a
huge success for a smallbusiness, let alone business

(08:42):
opening during COVID.
So we wanted to highlight thisfive years of them occupying
their space and appreciate themfor their involvement and
support of downtown.
You know Michael and Lynettehave been great when it comes to
Main Street's wine tastingevent.

Tabitha Clark (08:57):
Yes.

Alicia Hartley (08:58):
They're a huge supporter and partner of that,
and Lynette serves on ourpromotions committee bringing
new ideas to support ourpromotions and events that we
host in downtown.
So they're not just a businesson Carroll Street.
They put in a lot to theprogram and a lot to downtown to
make it special and help us out.
So we just wanted to thank themand highlight them for that.

Tabitha Clark (09:21):
I love that.
So what role do you hope thatthis whole program plays in
downtown's continued growth andrevitalization?

Alicia Hartley (09:29):
We hope that the keys to the downtown district
become a new tradition, atradition of welcoming new
businesses, a tradition ofcelebrating businesses,
celebrating successes and facaderehabilitations, and then this
will really be a tradition thatfosters pride, because these
businesses that receive this keyto the downtown district it's
on a beautiful, beautifulcedarwood plaque They'll be able

(09:49):
to hang in their business andwe're hoping that it'll be a
semblance of pride for theirbusiness, pride for what they've
invested and pride for being inhistoric downtown Perry.

Tabitha Clark (10:04):
As you as downtown manager in your role.
What do you hope businessowners feel?
And you kind of talked aboutthe pride, but what do you hope
they feel when they're handedthat ceremonial key?

Alicia Hartley (10:10):
I want them to feel welcome, appreciated and
seen.
Like we were talking earlier,there's, there's so much that
goes in and, just like I'm I'venever been a business owner,
probably will never be abusiness owner it takes a
special kind for sure buthearing from them and and what
all goes into it and the longhours that's outside of their
like operating hours.

(10:31):
We want them to be seen andrecognized for their time and
dedication here in downtown.

Tabitha Clark (10:36):
I love it.
Well, alicia, thank you so much.
You can learn more about theKeys to the Downtown District
program on the downtown'swebsite, which we will have
linked in the show comments.
So the Keys to the DowntownDistrict are more than just a
ceremonial gesture, as Aliciatalked about.
They're a symbol of partnership, pride and progress in Perry's

(10:57):
downtown and by celebrating ourbusiness owners and their
milestones and those wins,whether they're small or big,
we're recognizing the people whomake our community thrive.
So make sure you look at theshow notes for more information
and, alicia, we look forward tothe next several downtown
ceremonies.

Alicia Hartley (11:14):
We got a handful of them lined up, so we hope
everyone comes out andcelebrates with us.

Tabitha Clark (11:21):
Thanks for listening to the Inside Perry
podcast your inside look atPerry's local government.
Take a look at the show notesfor more information about
today's episode.
If you like Inside Perry, weencourage you to subscribe and
share the podcast with yourfriends and family.
We look forward to seeing youaround in our amazing community
where Georgia comes together.
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