STRICTLY BUSINESS: 'AFTER DINNER,' DOWNTOWN SUCCESS STORY

In Paducah people don't head for the couch on Saturday night.

They head downtown.

It's all part of the successful "After Dinner" promotion, designed to encourage Paducah and nearby residents to enjoy -- and rediscover -- their downtown area.

Here's what's happening Friday and Saturday evenings in downtown Paducah.

-- More than 50 businesses, including restaurants, clothing stores, antique and gift shops, art galleries, candy and coffee shops, jewelry stores, bakeries, pubs and others, are open with extended evening hours.

-- A variety of music, including jazz, gospel, blues, classical, folk and country is performed at various sites throughout the downtown area. In addition, some restaurants and pubs feature their own special music.

Entertainment groups from throughout the area provide "street corner "entertainment for the weekly programs, said Tom Erwin, a Paducah businessman who was instrumental in establishing the special events.

The musicians are not paid, "but, they get a lot of exposure, resulting in a number of bookings for their groups," Erwin said.

During a recent weekend, a trio from New Orleans entertained. The trio included a sax player, a musician on the washtub and the third with a mandolin.

"The New Orleans group heard about our weekly celebrations and appeared here free," said Erwin.

After Dinner is a huge success story.

Erwin, who has an ear for music -- he has previously served as a music director at two Southern Illinois high schools -- hears a lot of different groups at After Dinner, Saturday Nights in Downtown Paducah programs, which are held each weekend from early May through September.

The weekly celebrations blend the beauty of the old river town, with fine dining, entertainment, floodwall and window murals, antique automobiles, horse-drawn carriages and shopping, said Erwin.

The event started as an experiment during spring 1997 has emerged as an attraction that draws thousands of people to the downtown area each Saturday night.

Just recently, Friday night was added to the weekend agenda.

"We started the Friday night activities three weeks ago, said Erwin, a businessman who owns Annie Horsedrawn Carriage Co., which participates in the weekend activities.

"People are coming in from St. Louis and Nashville, making special weekend trips for dinner and festivities," said Erwin.

"This is great," said Ro Morse, development director with the Paducah-McCracken County Convention Visitors Bureau.

"People are loving it," said Morse. "It provides a family atmosphere and an ambiance to downtown Paducah."

People had forgotten about the downtown area. "It's really heartwarming to see people milling around downtown.

Much of the downtown business, like in many cities, has moved into malls and shopping areas along interstates.

The promotion has been a good one.

It definitely brings people downtown, said Erwin. The program has met a couple of primary objectives:

-- People are working together. A group of businesses with not too much in common other than their downtown sites are working together aggressively to pursue other downtown promotions.

-- Visitors are discovering what downtown merchants have to offer. Many downtown businesses -- specialty shops, antique shops and others -- join the restaurants in Saturday openings.

"Some businesses close at 5 p.m., but, they reopen at 7 p.m. and remain open until about 10 p.m.," Morse said.

A number of downtown merchants have reported increases in sales.

Downtown Paducah, which was devastated by moves of some big retailers to the Kentucky Oaks Mall several years ago, is made up of a variety of businesses.

More than a dozen antique-collectible shops are situated in the immediate downtown Paducah area, including a half-dozen antique malls. Restaurants, lounges and pubs are plentiful throughout the area. A number of trendy shops are also situated in the area, along with overnight lodgings, including bed-and-breakfasts and motels.

And, like Cape Girardeau, the downtown Paducah area is situated along the banks of a major river, the Ohio.

Other major attractions in the downtown Paducah include the Quilt Museum, Yeiser Art Center, the Downtown Market Museum and new downtown murals on the river wall.

The number of businesses has increased over the past year, Erwin said. Added in the area during the past year have been a couple of specialty shops, a new restaurant or two, a bakery and a bookstore.

Some of the restaurants offer outdoor courts for dining.

"And, we have plenty of parking," said Erwin.

The cost of the program?

Last year, the summerlong program was conducted for about $200.

B. Ray Owen is business editor for the Southeast Missourian.