Cambridge downtown revitalization efforts well underway

A year ago you could walk down Main Street in Cambridge and see not one but several empty storefronts, now it's a different story. 

"It's getting to be slim pickings downtown, you know, there's a lot of buildings that are full now that we're empty a year ago," explains Valerie Powell Brown, VP for Downtown Cambridge. 

There's one empty storefront right in the heart of downtown that will no longer be collecting dust and cob webs. Two local entrepreneurs are transforming the place into a soulful art bar and bistro. 

"We are definitely live Jazz, live entertainment, we are live, live, live everything," says Adrian Powell, co-owner of what will soon be the Art Bar. 

Co-ownerJermaine Robinson adds, "I'm excited to have the opportunity but I'm also excited to see the opportunity around me and other entrepreneurs just rolling the dice. Nothing is easy as an entrepreneur and as a community we need community buy in to support, so places like this stay." 

Whichever way you go on Main Street, more and more people like Jermaine and Adrian are taking a risk and setting up shop, bringing a city's decades old dream become reality.

"We started this transition from an industrial town to people thinking we could be a tourist destination and over the last ten years, we are there. We are a tourist destination with the Hyatt, the Harriet Tubman Museum and downtown has just come leaps and bounds," adds Powell-Brown. 

The good news, this rejuvenation we're seeing in Cambridge doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.

"We have hit that momentum where everything has come together. Our heritage, our location next to the water and I think everybody has just realized if you want something to do, this is the place to have your business."

We're told two more downtown vacant spaces are on their way to being filled. As for the Groove Theatre Company, they are kicking off their production this summer with their first performance taking place this fall.