St.Marys Mainstreet DDA

0:00I will say that if you're interested in being a part of a live after five you can reach out to me Whether your music food truck vendor or just have a really cool idea that you think would bring the community together and add something to That event we would love to hear from do you have to be from St. Mary's to do that? You don't okay? You don't Yeah, we're just really trying to you know Do whatever we can to drive traffic downtown and let people realize that aren't sounds amazing It is it is the cutest town. I love it. I mean, there's just a whole vibe when you enter especially downtown St. Mary's Agreed What's up Camden County? You're a kitchen episode not even one of the getting your business podcast I'm your host Allison Shores from the Camden County Chamber of Commerce. This getting your business podcast is made possible by our chairman circle sponsors Georgia power company Georgia's own credit union Lockheed Comcast sparklight plug power St. Mary's DDA TDS telecom and a mayor's bank. Thank you to all of our sponsors. All right guys. I am

1:00This is gonna be a great podcast. I cannot wait. I have got Candice Polo Okay And she is um, I like to call her all things St. Mary's um, she is the St. Mary's main street director That's what I call her so that's what we're going with today. That may not be your official title, but it is it's what we all I'll take it Yeah, um, so I want to bring you in here because a lot of things have Changed a lot of new stuff has come to St. Mary's Yeah, what people to kind of know that they've got a little best friend And St. Mary's as far as helping them open a business anything they have going on with their businesses If they need somebody you are the person and I just want to make sure people know that I am the person to connect you with Because I don't do all the things and know all the things nor do I pretend to but I will definitely try and steer you in the right direction. Well, that's what that that's what I wanted to talk to you about today All the things that that you do out of your office that don't even think people realize Along with that kind of one to know what I was going on in the St. Mary's for the next couple months

2:02So Yeah, where do we start? Um, let's start with your job. Okay So um, how long have you been in your role? So I have been in main street for four years as it already been for you Holy cow. Yeah. Um, so I get the privilege of working with you You know on day-to-day stuff. I also you're also on my board Yeah for the chamber. Yeah, which has brought a lot of great things Um, one of those being our taste of Camden. Yes And which is coming up in April. We'll get there. But um, I've gotten to see just just by working with you on taste of Camden And what you brought to the table with that A really of inside look to your job and I was like holy cow That's some stuff You know, um, but I think that's awesome and I just want I know you've taken over business licenses. Yeah, um, yeah, in your job And you know, I've heard I think for years the the whole thing about St. Mary's was always so hard to do business It's so hard to do business And I want people to realize that that has changed um and that you guys are working on making it extremely seem

3:08Yes making it easy um, you know Because Bottom line is there are a lot of hoops to jump through when you're open up a business people realize that no matter where you do it You're still going to have to do a lot of things um, but um, it's so nice that we have somebody that will help with the process Yeah, St. Mary's and I think um, I just wanted people to know you and know that you do that So how long have you taken over how long has it been so you've taken over business licenses because it hadn't been that long No, this is our second renewal season If you are a St. Mary's business and you have not renewed your business license Let's do this. Please do so reach out to me at Main Street at St. Mary's GA.gov and I'll send you the link I love that um, but is it is it something all online is they come to your office all the things so um our renewals are Online and then I invoice you and you can pay via You know in person or through the invoice and then our new business license are also online

4:08But it's all in one portal where you can just apply for your license get feedback through the portal All of our messages go through there. You pay through there. It's it's really really super convenient And when we moved in this direction, it was really for a customer service kind of aspect You know, what could we do to make it easier for the the end user which is our citizens? Yes, I love this um, so what all like what would you say like in a typical day? How many different things would you be doing? um well Probably Don't have enough fingers or toes. Yeah, you know Every day is different. Well, you know for me. So we we've grown from having a hundred members to having about 600 members Chamber members here Um, which covers all of Camden County, Kingsland St. Mary's woodbond um, but What's made my life a lot easier is you know, therefore a little while when I was trying to get members and trying to get people um, you know excited about this and and and going on this journey with us. It was

5:10I'm going to the business. I'm going to the business. Yeah to the business. Well only grew so much You know, it's just it's me and Shawna That they get paid to be here. So it was just us. It's very hard for me to be able to see Everybody as much as I was seeing them in the beginning Even for the first four or five years how often I was seeing people and now like You know, you got to catch me when you're good Yeah, you know, I'm doing the best I can but it helps so much Haven't you down there in St. Mary's like You're talking to those businesses if not daily at least weekly like you're you know for one thing or another where whether it's You know, you've got your life after fives or they need help with something with zoning or permitting or whatever they're doing and so Um Us having a close relationship was just natural because we're dealing with the same. Yeah, the same things the same problems the same But having you down there has been such a breath of fresh air for me because it's allowed me to still know what's going on And still connect with those people, but it's almost like I have another chamber no offense But I have another chamber person down there. Yeah, I can help you know, I'd understand so I truly do believe in what the chamber stands for and you do amazing

6:18If anybody could ever compare me to you, I would be so thankful. No, I just think that like I have a counterpart that can help me you know Um, but it's just been so good So let's talk about I don't know if people have taken advantage of a live after five if they've taken advantage of some of the things now You know, I hear all the time on social media There's nothing to do. There's nothing to do. Yeah, there are things to do so much to do So I want to talk about some of the things that are even coming up in the next few months You know, there's nothing um Crazy crazy going on, you know, normally if it's like marty girl, you'll have all the yeah, hard to go. Yeah, Christmas Christmas with oh my gosh, all the Christmas things. Yeah, there's just there's so much you had the seafood festival in October But so now what so now we have coming up so now we're rolling right into the spring and spring in Saint Mary's is beautiful It is um Anytime it's a great Weather day our Former mayor would always say It's a classic Saint Mary's day and that that's literally what I think about when I think about the spring season coming up and all the

7:25Flowers and just how beautiful it is. I try to put the pollen behind me into So but um, we have this weekend on saturday. We have our community art sale Um, yeah, it's not really anything that Myself or angel of the tourism director because she is my counterpart. She's my right hand um She helps me with all things. I help her with all things could not be who we are down town if it weren't for her So huge shout out to Angela and her team listen, and she's so knowledgeable. Oh my gosh. All things Saint Mary's whole yeah And I mean, honestly, Camden County, but very much Saint Mary's um, I go to her for all kinds of stuff She's trying to give me Go ahead and sign Um, and then So that's this weekend, which is March 7th it's Saturday. Yep. Yep And um some of our businesses will be doing sidewalk sales some community members will have community yard sales

8:26Okay, um, and then we'll have our community market just like every other Saturday So that and that the community market. What is that? So that is not quite a farmer's market because there's certain categories you have to fit in like you have to sell like Uh Eggs or I'm not really sure so don't quote me on that, but um It is just a community market so any Local artisans can come out and sell anything they have it's you know from We have a vendor that sells the crock widgets that like go in your crops. Yeah, that's what they're called I didn't I think that's what they're called Clips they're a little bit. Yeah, I really don't know what they're called The little things that go in your crops too, you know, we have like local bread and handmade bags candles and my friend Marcia saw her out there Doing some of her crocheted stuff, you know, she has to get just uh, yeah, but anyway that that's the really But I don't know that people know that goes on and it's every other Saturday. It's every Saturday. Yeah. Yeah

9:29Okay, yeah, that is that on the grounds of orange hall. It is run right in front of orange hall. You can't miss it Oh, I love this so much. So every Saturday, what nine to one or something. Yes. Um, I'll just guess them I think that rock and yeah, they'll be there at that time. Yeah, I start Yeah Um, so what else do you what else because there's so much that goes on in Saint Mary's I know that people know yeah, you know, well first we have an amazing group of merchants that are down there that really do Try hard and come up with different things all the time, you know Kotlin gun is always got something going on whether it's like painting classes or which if if people don't know she has a cafe Kotlin gun now and it is So good the food is amazing. I love her little setup with the different tables and chairs and stuff So she has a cafe. So if you haven't checked that out, check that out. Yep And then there's like Osborne trading station and she's like always doing something whether it's like a scavenger hunt inside the store You know, just well What about

10:31Oh, Deb. Yeah, what is that? It's the dinner theater that she's doing Um, it's I think she was having one time. It was like a mystery something Saint Mary's uh little theater Yes, they were going in there and doing um similar theater shows. So cute I don't have all that in front of me, but but definitely check out on the cafe at Kotlin gun. Yeah, because she will be able to You'll see it all in her face but page huge shout out the day I heard she's doing her own little like going around and talking to merchant. Oh, I love this. Yeah, I love it And even what about marking on the square like they did like a weiner walk. Yeah, that's always in October But they've always got stuff going. They do you know Man, I forget then you got firefly you got miss Kim. Oh gosh farm a family. She's the best and she has just grown that little business So much and I'm so proud of her like oh, it's so good Um, we got divine. Oh, our sports trading cards. Wait, is that a sport Sport card trading? I don't know Scooter. Don't be mad at me

11:33But yes, but they you know, they have where I didn't even know you like playing cards were that big of a thing But it is a big main yeah, um, so yeah, check them out. There's a whole lot that's come down to I mean Chris is open What five restaurant you have what river walk pizzeria You've got Magic market. I mean they have about that. Yeah market You've got southern river wall. Mm-hmm. You've got locals and then you've got the harbor St. Mary's harbor Yeah, um, so he's got restaurants down there. I mean There was a time when I first moved here. All this wasn't down in downtown St. Mary's And it has just to watch it grow over time. It has just been amazing We just keep getting great additions to things. Yep. Yeah They continue. What else we got coming this month? So After our community yard sale this weekend, we float right into next week and we have a live after five on Friday Okay, let's talk about a live after five because I I love it It's no sugar. I know

12:34When you first said it, I was like, okay, I mean, we'll see you know, like I wanted all the great things I wanted but people have really gotten behind it And it is such a great time and I don't say that just because I'm your friend I say that because I actually had a really good time or time up down there for a live after five. I mean You've just incorporated so many things do people even know there's I mean there's all kinds of stuff Oh, I know and and I do have to give this shout out So a lot of people don't know but canon is one of the ones. They helps me bring this to fruition every single month He works really really hard to kind of think of things that are a little different That'll bring a little different crowd down and just keep it exciting. So I have to give him a heat shout out Listen me to Came in his everything and so um, but we decided today earlier that his his title is going to be like creative director Because that's what it encompasses all everything he can do yeah, yeah But yeah, a live after five so tell people like a little bit about it. So we have live music

13:37We have food trucks You don't just have like one love it's not just like Like a place where you see the band. They are all along the roadside. That's correct So continue. I want people to realize. I know. I know it's you know A little something different Yeah, it creates a little space in front of all of the places you can't walk very far or ride very far without being like Oh, there's something else, you know And again, our merchants really get into it. So we're thankful for that Pop-up vendors we have our special Edition of community market, which is also on the grounds of Orange Hall steel And we have some people that don't come out to Saturday market But then we have a lot of our Saturday market vendors there. So it's really really really cool Um Gosh, what else do we have a food truck? I was gonna say are we gonna drive out the food trucks? Yeah, um, so you've got I mean all the restaurants Oh, yeah, and all the things There's also just little food trucks where you can get anything else that's your little heart fires, you know

14:37What about walking down time with your drinks? So you Can browse with your brew? I wish I'd brought the cup. I know. I know So we do sell our Little Saint Mary's cubs that we call um, I think they're branded as our sip and save because you know You can see up Yeah, you know and save when you're going in and shopping So Super excited about that and all of those dollars go right back into a lot of after five I love that though because on these cubs you can get this the stickers, right? That's correct to go onto the Yeah, and so every time you you visit a Oh, no, let's say you go into Kotlin gun. She's got a little sticker that you put on the Yeah, exactly so I don't think that's so cool. Yeah, so when you get the cup It encourages you to go into all the different Businesses and grab the sticker and you can put it on the cup or keep it for yourself Some people like I'm on there and some people I love you know um, and just So so much fun. Mm-hmm. It's a lot of work But it's a lot of fun, so but it seems like you have a great team down there and y'all are just like pulling it together

15:42And you know each it requires each of the merchants to get involved too And I don't think people realize how like amazing that is yeah that all your vendors want to you know I mean all your merchants want to participate. Yes, and and have their own little flare You know, like I when I see um, it just sticks out in my head farm to family. She's always got something fun out there I know like Whether it's the best pop-up vendors And they're either cooking something. She's got the best like Music playing out there. Like she's so cute. I love it. Um, I love what she does and she's always got you know Beer or something out there, you know, like so you know, I just I just love it. So continue. We love it too I will say that if you're interested in being a part of a live after five you can reach out to me Whether your music food truck vendor or just have a really cool idea that you think would bring the community together and add something to That event. We would love to hear from you. You have to be from St. Mary's to do that. You don't okay. You don't

16:42Yeah, we're just really trying to you know Do whatever we can to drive traffic downtown and let people realize that our town's amazing It is it is the cutest town. I love it. I mean, there's just a whole vibe when you're Especially downtown St. Mary's I agreed a whole thing Um, all right. What else we got? So Then we float right into what maybe the next week and we have our Glow in the dark Easter egg on March 21st get about this. I know this is the fourth year that this has taken place so Um Huge shout out to one of our local merchants Logan With Graham's lease. Yes, she is the absolute best and When I tell you she coordinates all of this she coordinates all of this well She's got such a heart for the community She does she has there are certain things she wants to do every year for the community And she puts that at the top of her priority list and she she makes it happen And I love people with that

17:43Me too, you know Was anybody walks in and says I want to do this. This is what I need from you And it's them doing 90% of the follow through. I am so thankful. So thank you. Thank you. Thank you Logan Yes, but what was so what is that the the Easter egg hunt So um, it really is so it's March 21st and it'll be at our waterfront park Okay, and it starts I think around five and she sets it up so cute where like each age group has their own little time and area Um, I know that we ordered Gosh because um The DDA sponsors it and buys all the eggs and I think I ordered like 15,000 eggs girl. I was trying to guess before you said the number like what number you were gonna say and I was like She's probably gonna be like 1500 eggs and then you said 15,000 yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, she has so many signups like it's you know And nobody wants to go out there and pick up three eggs No, I want to ask you for you know, and they can't believe with the basket full

18:44So that's what we love that is sweet. I love this so much um now is information about that already on Facebook It is definitely go to her Facebook page. I've shared it on our main street page But you know, she's the signup spot and all of that so okay Yeah, well, yeah, we can float right on into April if you want do all right, so well, we did forget one major thing in March It's coming St Patrick's day. Oh, yeah Okay, yeah green doesn't look good on me, so I need to think about it. It doesn't I'm tan. No, not now But yeah, so St Patty's day. I know March 17th. Well, we have going on. I'm sure great. I'm sure we probably doing something Yeah, they'll have their little thing going they usually do it the weekend prior and you know Then you'll have the whole day where it's the place to get your classic St. Patrick's day meal, which is Stuff I don't eat and cap it. Yeah, I don't eat it either. So I'm really not

19:45He's always got a whole menu. Yeah, anybody that wants to celebrate St. Patty's day. He's got a whole menu Yeah, I know Okay, so take us into April all right, and then we're gonna float right up into April and we have a car show at the waterfront Okay, brought to you by our friends at culture driven He always does an amazing job. He helped us out with car shows for a live after five several times Well, he's really good at it. He's very knowledgeable He's done several of them been a part of several of them and I say several and that's probably not correct following He does yeah, so he's done a really good job with these. Yep So thank you. Thank you. Thank you Jose because you do an amazing job And then we have right after that a live after five again. I love this. It's April 10th So um, and you know it lasts from five to eight So you still have time to just Go and do something different if you want to after but it's a real family event. So um

20:49It is um, something I want to point out because a lot of people have been like Okay, so it was a live after five the first Friday And I'm like, oh, but there there was a method behind that madness. You didn't use like hey I want to confuse everybody. That's not way So in your world, I'm sure you can appreciate this. Yes, I can. So um, I look at the High School football calendar specifically the varsity calendar And I try to pick weekends where they're either at a really far away game Or it's about week and during that season. So And then this summer like the spring summertime. I'm kind of just following suit and doing it Um for most of them. There's a few that's not the Friday before our music in the park. Okay. So yeah Well, I just wanted people to know and I appreciate like you looking at a calendar. Oh god I'm planning around it because it matters um, and so yeah, so I just wanted you to know like that. I called

21:50That letter to apartment like three months ago. And I was like, please see me a calendar. And she was like Shhh. Yeah, it's not not me. Yeah. Yeah, so But we have I appreciate that and I just you know if people understand why a lot of times they they hush. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah You know, I mean, I mean Camden County football is a real deal around here. It's a big thing guys. Yeah, um, and we're you know the new coach this year We're looking forward to all that um, yeah, my husband coming back. So I know I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Um, but yeah. All right. I see you got more on that paper. Oh yeah There's just always so much going on and I'll just kind of wrap it all up with like I said we trying to do our Alive After Fives the Friday before music in the park so music in the park kicks off on April 11th Huge shout out to angel again because she puts this together and can we talk about music in the park? Um, I don't so does she just There's a band So there is a band and she like has people on waiting list to try and be the band for these things and it's a free concert in the park

22:51Um, she usually has several food trucks kind of set up so you can get something from the food truck bring your lawn chair sitting in front of the Amphitheater and enjoy the music and the amazing St Mary's not Tom. I love that because then you can also check out like Afterwards or before yeah, I can take a stroll downtown and yeah, I mean, there's so many cute shops restaurants You can get desserts you can get you know like yeah, just so much. Um, and I think people If you haven't been down there lately, you need to get down there. It is very him. It's just It's growing. It's happening. Yeah, I love it. Yeah We're super excited. So well, I want to tell you let's let's I do want to talk about tasty kingdom because um, yeah, I don't know list Well, it's up here. I thought you would shout that one out So tasty cam it'll be April 19th Um, and it will be I'm sure doing some more videos on that but do make sure you mark a calendar That'll be an orange haul which I need to say thank you to you um, I don't know if most people know but when I first started here

23:51We did it at the PSA Jim and not a knock on the PSA gym just not where we need to be hosting taste of cam And then we tried it at the college and I'm gonna be honest. I hit so many um dead ends with knowing what to do and Where to take taste of Camden and everything. I was just I was so Um a little disheartened. I couldn't figure it out And then you came along and helped me with orange haul and I'm gonna tell you I at first. I'm like that sounds like a great idea, but I have no idea how to pull that. Yeah, and I thought I was crazy I did I had a vision listen. I did not think you were crazy. I just did not understand how like my brain was not putting it together But yours did thankfully and um, I'm so thankful because us moving it to orange haul has been The best thing. I'll love the feel the vibe that everything of of taste of Camden So I want to say thank you because you are part of the behind the scenes work I think you know with tasty Camden I end up getting the credit, but it's it's yeah actually more you than it is me Well Well, I'm boots on the ground down. Yeah, so you are um, and then obviously it really spurred from

24:59Dan had been to you know taste to glean and um I had been as well, and he brought up like We're better than this like our merchants deserve better than this like Let's do a true taste and make it extremely amazing and there's a visual thing that you know Camden hasn't seen before and so I said bet. Let's do it. Yeah, and you know here we are. Yeah, but you know, I think that's a testament to I wish more people would work together In a group because you know you and I weren't friends before we started this, but you know It grew out of it, but I think it's I think I wish more people have worked together I know we can get a lot more done together, you know, yeah We're all rowing in the same direction. We are. We are. Yes. We just got to remember that. Yeah What else? I think that that's pretty much I mean People's calendars are full now. They are they should be yeah, yeah And I mean right there you throw a spring break in between margin April yep and Easter Sunday

26:05And then shortly after that the aquatic center will be open and I know we time for that So yeah, you know, we had Bella in here last week and isn't she amazing? She's so amazing And I can't wait to see where she takes that um, yeah, aquatic center. Yeah, she's got some amazing ideas and But you know, I think the community needs to understand that if you want better things you've got to get involved with the things we have and Let's let's start making those better and then we We'll get there, you know, yeah, I'd buy anyone that hasn't ever actually been to anything But a council meeting to come to some of our citizen board meetings and see how these Volunteers actually like serve our community with their expertise and they make they get zero accolades for it That like it is it's pretty amazing st. Mary's has a robust number of boards and You do but like they're people take pride in in in where they live and and what they're doing there and they They put their money where their mouth is. I will say that about the volunteers and st. Mary's and the different boards and stuff

27:06When it even comes down to decorating like orange hall and making it Beautiful. I love what Miss Teddy does you know what I'm saying like our sparkle squad Our sparkles squad. I love it so much, but that's it's really cool I loved when people care that much about where they live and that they're gonna put their time And money into making things work and so that's really yeah, it's incredible shout out to you Yeah, we try to be super thoughtful, you know Even down to the color of our mulch. Yeah, I just heard about that this week about mulch. Yeah, that's funny But I will say this you know, we we work very um We work closely with these business owners and stuff and for me like I truly care about these people They become our family and that's what I was gonna say about you is that I found that same Same sentiment with you. Yeah, you you very much like These are our people they become our family because I mean I end up seeing them all the you know And I'm saying we'll see and we work with them. We go through hard times with them

28:07We get mad at them they get mad at us Yeah, over it and then we love each other. You know, so it's we go through all these things just like family and um I'm so thankful that you're down in st. Mary's and have the same kind of it's because of them that you know People say amazing things about what I'm doing because They are so supportive and I couldn't do it without them. They make us amazing. So yeah Well Candice. Thank you. I mean I can keep I know we don't But thank you for being here today. I really appreciate it people want more information as far as Getting a hold of you or maybe they're interested in Coming out for a live after five or maybe they need to start a business in st. Mary's or if they need any information What's the best way to get a hold of you? email Yeah, you're not me. Yeah, okay. Give us them. Yeah, I have like 386 non-open text on my phone So that is not the way So for me, it's opposite like I will check that text message all day long that my email I've got 396. I just get a lot of them

29:10So and I get a lot of emails too, but you know you can flag them and stuff like that So I can set them in priority. Give these people your email address. Okay, so I'm gonna give you the easiest one Which is main street at st. Mary's ST Mary's g-a dot g-o-v. Okay, easy to hit me up. Yes Was there anything else that you wanted to say Or mention or anything about before we get off? No, not really um, you know Just super excited We've got a great spring and summer season coming. I'm excited. Thank you so much Candice. You're the best and by those tickets were tased to Camden now Yes, they're $20 Visit our website. Camden neighborhood Anyway, thank you. Thank you Candice for being here. Thank you for all your hard work and for what you do In the city of st. Mary's we are very appreciative. Oh, thank you So all right guys, uh you have called episode 91 of the Guinness your business podcast Please like share and subscribe and get to downtown st. Mary's