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 When
Jim Frazier came to Dowagiac in 1993, he intended to convince a shoe
store owner to open a shop in his community. What he found in Dowagiac,
instead, convinced him to relocate his business, Vincent J. Jewelers,
to The Grand Old City."I fell in love with the central business district and its architecture," Jim said. "I found a community with vision, a Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development Authority (DDA) that worked well together, and people with very positive attitudes. Landlords take pride in their properties. Plus, rents are drastically lower than at shopping malls or in surrounding communities. Most important, the investment being made by the City, DDA and property owners, illustrated to me my investment in Dowagiac would be well worth my time and money." Ten years later, this Watervliet resident declares Dowagiac his town and a community he'll never leave. "Dowagiac business owners have made me feel very welcome. In many respects, we're like a big family."
Second-generation owner of The Marshall Shoppe, Susan Kazlauskas, also believes the work of the City of Dowagiac and its DDA to improve the infrastructure of the central business district will lead the community well into the 21st Century. "Streetscape improvements, which began in 1990, piqued the attention of neighboring cities and continue to attract people to our community," Sue said. "Day visitors remark of the picture-perfect postcard setting we now enjoy. Our customers come from St. Joseph, Niles, Kalamazoo, northern Indiana and Illinois, and many of the smaller towns in between."  Sue believes joint advertising, offered by the Chamber's Retail Business Committee, makes television, radio and print advertising affordable for retailers. "Just as important, we enjoy a true spirit of comradeship among business owners," Sue said. "We're a community in which everyone works well together, from shop owners, to the DDA, Chamber of Commerce and City Hall." Similar sentiment is expressed by business owners throughout The Grand Old City, from downtown historic Dowagiac, to the new M-51 Commercial Center and the expanding industrial park.
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