Aug 20, 2017 3 min read

Good things are happening on High Street in Waynesburg, even if it doesn’t always seem that way when small businesses open and then quickly close their doors.

In a time when small-town business districts are feeling the pinch of big-box retailers opening megastores across this country, Waynesburg has been able to maintain a relatively vibrant setting for its local business owners.

There are coffee shops not named Starbucks, art stores featuring local artists and a few clothing stores that cater to work or leisure.

Sure, a few more restaurants on and around High Street wouldn’t hurt, but the dining business is a tough nut to crack. Instead, Waynesburg has done well by sticking to its artisanal retailers that appeal to out-of-town visitors who love the borough’s quaint atmosphere.

The Waynesburg Merchants Guild has done a nice job in recent years bringing together more than a dozen local businesses to maximize their advertising dollars and to consolidate sales and events to bring more people downtown.

“To be successful in a small town, we need to cultivate the community,” said Lauren Stauffer, who owns Ruff Creek Crafts & Antiques on High Street and is treasurer of the guild. “If that’s through redevelopment or any strategic plan the partners within our community have, organizations and leaders need to connect on a regular basis and take it from there.”

That message can only go so far locally. Maybe these business leaders should send the message at full throat to their neighbors just over the border in West Virginia.

Waynesburg has much that could be appealing to Morgantown, W.Va., residents who battle congested roads most of the year from the flood of students when West Virginia University is in session. The High Street in Morgantown – funny how both business districts share that name – caters to those students with bars and restaurants for a legendary nightlife atmosphere at the expense of local residents during the daytime.

What would happen if Waynesburg’s business leaders began to make a push south to garner the attention of those West Virginians who want a nearby shopping experience without all of the hassle from a horde of students? Just 20 miles away, Waynesburg could be a perfect location for shoppers who want a more laid-back afternoon.

Another idea is one pitched by Greene County economic development executive director Robbie Matesic when she suggested a “digital initiative” to eventually give local business owners the tools to advertise and sell products online.

Our modern-day main streets are changing, especially when it comes to online shopping. Rather than turning away from the future, Waynesburg and other business leaders in Greene County should embrace it.

“It brings (sales) into the way that commerce moves in 2017,” Matesic said.

The biggest hurdle facing the borough and county with a “digital initiative” is unreliable and slow broadband internet.

Just like roads and bridges, high-speed internet is important and can connect rural business owners to faraway shoppers. It also will take a collaboration of businesses owners, government officials and local organizations to make this dream a reality.

With the construction of a new bank building and senior housing complex over the past year, the future is definitely bright for Waynesburg.

But a few more “outside-the-box store” ideas could breathe new life into Waynesburg’s already vibrant business district.