Main Street thanks Merchant Association leaders for successful partnership
Claremore Main Street’s Board of Directors extends a heartfelt thank you to the Downtown Claremore Merchant Association for creating Food Truck Thursday and partnering with Main Street to host the successful event series.
“We are specifically thankful to the Association’s leaders – President Sheila Giannelli and Vice-President Kathy Glover,” said Lou Flanagan, president of Claremore Main Street. “Their dedication to the event and to bringing people downtown is unmatched.”
Food Truck Thursday began in 2015 when the association – at the time a group of downtown merchants just forming into an organization – had the idea to bring food trucks and music downtown one evening each month. The event continued to grow and in 2017, Claremore Main Street came on as an official partner.
Each month for the six months of the series, Food Truck Thursday brings thousands of residents and guests downtown to enjoy the food trucks, live music, free Kids Zone and local shopping late.
“Food Truck Thursday is one of Claremore’s most popular events. A tremendous idea brought to fruition by the merchants themselves,” said Ethan Groff, Main Street vice president. “Grassroots energy and pluck like this, led by small business owners themselves, are what set Claremore apart from peers.”
In the Spring of 2018, the event won first place in Premier Special Event Over 1,000 Attendees by the Oklahoma Main Street Center at its annual awards banquet.
In December, the DCMA and Main Street decided to dissolve the partnership in hosting the event – but the popular series will live on.
“The Main Street Board of Directors is honored to have the opportunity to continue the work the merchants began for the betterment of downtown Claremore through Food Truck Thursday,” Flanagan said. “This gives the small business owners the ability to focus their time and attention on their business.”
Claremore Main Street is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization focused on the ongoing revitalization of downtown Claremore. With a focus on economic vitality, historic preservation and placemaking, the organization strives to secure downtown as the social and economic core of the community.
“We could not be more grateful for Sheila and Kathy, without whom the event would not even exist,” Groff said. “You could see them in hours of planning meetings and spending their own money on props for the event to pull off Claremore’s favorite event series.”
Food Truck Thursday will begin in May and run through October on the final Thursday of the month in downtown Claremore.
“We value our years of partnership and look forward to combining efforts in the future to continue to improve downtown together,” he continued. “Claremore requires and deserves the work and dedication of volunteers like Sheila and Kathy.”