A Spring City business owner told the borough's parks and recreation committee that the October 3 Music & Market Festival brought record-breaking sales to his store, prompting discussion about closing Main Street to traffic more frequently.
Matt Doyen, owner of Alisan Road Mercantile at 89 N. Main Street, said his store generated nearly as much revenue during the five-hour festival as it did throughout the entire month of September. For the event, Main Street was closed between New Street and Hall Street.
"It was our best day ever at the shop by far," Doyen told the committee during its Thursday meeting.
While the festival was a success for his business, Doyen said the sales figures also highlighted the challenges facing Spring City's downtown merchants.
"We have all this awesome momentum, but it's still very fragile here," Doyen said.
Spring City's Main Street has experienced a wave of new business activity this year, including the openings of Alisan Road Mercantile, Punch Buggy Brewing Company's taproom, and Neighbors Barbershop. Tuned Up Brewery has also reopened under new management, with Spring City Hotel's restaurant expected to follow suit this Sunday. Another newcomer, Spring City Coffee, is planning to open in early 2027.
Doyen cautioned that any loss of participating businesses could diminish future festivals, arguing that supporting the downtown district requires an ongoing effort. He suggested closing Main Street for events more than once a year, pointing to nearby Phoenixville, where Bridge Street is closed to traffic on weekends during warmer months.
“They do that for a reason: because it works," he said, while acknowledging that Spring City would not need to close its street as frequently.
Exploring More Street Closures
Doyen's suggestion prompted committee members to consider other opportunities to bring events downtown.
One possibility was moving the borough's annual Community Day, typically held at Brown Street Park in late May or early June, to Main Street. Committee members also floated the idea of introducing an Earth Day event at the park in its place.
The discussion also touched on Spring City Saturday, a new monthly initiative that brings together local businesses, artists at Spring City Mill Studios, and borough officials to encourage residents and visitors to explore downtown.
The initiative debuted September 19, with its second installment scheduled for October 17 and another planned for November 21. Organizers hope to establish the third Saturday of each month as a recurring downtown event, although no additional dates have been scheduled beyond November.
Committee Chair and Borough Councilor Matt Handley said organizers had previously discussed closing Main Street for Spring City Saturday but generally agreed that doing so would be too ambitious this year. He described the idea as being "on the vision board" as the initiative develops.
No final decisions were made at the meeting. Any future street closures would require approval from Spring City Borough Council.
