Downtown Harlingen Revitalization Inspires Entrepreneurs To Live At Their Offices
business, harlingen business owners, loft apartment, market days, nip-n-tuck custom draperies, real estate, revitalization, steve aune, that lime green store,
The old adage dictates that you shouldn’t take your work home with you, but several downtown Harlingen business owners have been quite pleased with the results of taking their homes to work.
Steve Aune is one such entrepreneur. In 1998, the Nip-N-Tuck Custom Draperies owner moved into the third-story warehouse above his popular Jackson Street business.
“Everyone said it would be a perfect loft apartment,” Aune says of the 3,500-square foot warehouse built in 1928. “I’m in the middle of Jackson Street, and there’s always something happening downtown.”
Whether shopping next door at That Lime Green Store, mingling at Market Days the first Saturday of each month or grabbing a cup of coffee at nearby Java Café, Aune enjoys the conveniences of downtown living.
Jackson Street also is home to local artist Tony Schaub, whose colorful western pop art creations are popping up everywhere.
“I wanted to live in the Valley, and Harlingen won out as far as location,” he says. “We lucked out and came to Harlingen right when the building was available.”
Schaub now resides in the Spanish-influenced 1920s apartment above his studio, located close to the Cobalt Gallery and the local artists’ cooperative. Schaub and Aune represent a growing number of people realizing the conveniences and cultural advantages of downtown living.
Thanks to inward growth and aggressive marketing and investment efforts of building owners and city administrators, the area continues to thrive both residentially and commercially, says Cheryl LaBerge, manager of the Harlingen Downtown Improvement District.
The district’s unique blend of one-of-a-kind shops, local restaurants and diverse businesses make the area a hub for shoppers and more than 200 business owners each day. As the city approaches its centennial anniversary, community leaders and building owners are dedicated to revitalizing the district, giving new life – and purpose – to this historic portion of the city’s colorful landscape.
“Right now, the district is seeing a lot of overall growth and investment,” LaBerge says. “New owners are coming in and recruiting businesses, spending money to make sure buildings are in good shape for years to come and adapting them to new uses to meet today’s marketplace.”
Jackson Street’s Main Street Grill now serves customers where Woolworth’s once stood, while Quinceañeras and other special events are held next door at the Rialto Dance Hall, formerly The Rialto – Harlingen’s first theater.
LaBerge says the downtown district’s quaint shops and pedestrian-friendly streets are especially attractive to creative entrepreneurs, and neighborhood renovations on the periphery of the district are especially appealing to younger families, who have witnessed similar revitalization efforts in downtowns throughout the country.
“As Harlingen grows, people are starting to realize that we don’t just want to be a community of strip centers,” LaBerge says. “Downtown is really the only public space for the entire community to come together. This is the legacy previous generations have left us.”
Story by Melanie Hill
Photo by Jeff Adkins
