For Kelly Edelstein, Lawrenceville Main Street is all about building a habit – once visitors come to the Village of Lawrenceville and discover how much fun they are having, they will want to come back.
That is Edelstein’s goal in her new role as the executive director of Lawrenceville Main Street. The nonprofit organization, a volunteer-driven group, formed in 1996 and sparked the revitalization of the business district across the street from The Lawrenceville School.
Edelstein is no stranger to Lawrence Township. She has lived in the township for 19 years and owned Acacia, one of several restaurants in the Village of Lawrenceville, for several years before selling it.
“What I want to do is to re-imagine Main Street and find ways to reach people and bring families into the village,” Edelstein said. “We are building a habit, eat local, play local. You can find your fun close to home.”
To do that is no small feat, but Edelstein plans to build on the foundation created by Lawrenceville Main Street – from events such as Music in the Park to Scarecrows in the Village – by leveraging her background in social media and marketing.
Edelstein already has some ideas for the tweaks she would like to make, working in concert with Lawrenceville Main Street’s Board of Directors.
The Music in the Park series of concerts will kick off June 21 with a performance by the Lawrence Community Band, she said. The concerts are held in Weeden Park, next to the Lawrenceville Post Office.
Edelstein said she is exploring a “Movies in the Park” series. If the plan works out, the movies would be shown outdoors in Weeden Park.
Restaurant Week has been set for Sept. 17-23. The eight restaurants in the Village of Lawrenceville will join together to offer prix fixe meals, she said.
“It’s just to get people to try restaurants they have not been to before,” she said, adding that the restaurants are working on their menu offerings for Restaurant Week.
Sculptures created by the Artists of the Motor Exhibit Building at the Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton Township, will be on display in Weeden Park in September, Edelstein said.
The annual Scarecrows in the Village, which takes place in October, may be expanded into a festival, she said. It could become an afternoon full of events for families.
Later in the year, there are plans for a holiday market. There will be craft tables and a holiday gift shop. Artists will sell their one-of-a-kind creations, Edelstein said.
“I want to create an expectation there is always something going on at Lawrenceville Main Street,” she said.
One of the best things about Lawrenceville Main Street, she said, is that it is made up of small, family owned businesses and that patrons are supporting local families, not national chain stores.
Patronizing the locally owned businesses allows those families to fulfill the American dream – if you work hard, you will have something of your own, Edelstein said.
“These businesses are owned by your neighbors. By coming here, we are building a stronger community. I think we are stronger when we lean on one another,” she said.
Looking ahead, Edelstein said she is excited about her new job, which combines many of her interests – building a sense of community and community engagement, and supporting small businesses.
“There are lot of possibilities and I am excited to see what we can do,” Edelstein said.
