Merchants Meeting Will Focus On Improvement and Development

The Downtown Largo Merchants Association will meet Wednesday night at Largo Feed on West Bay Drive, and a number of interesting items are on the agenda.

According to organizer Tanya Pistillo, Largo's Economic Development Manager Theresa Brydon will attend the meeting to speak about development and incentives for local merchants.

"Theresa is our guest speaker and she will be talking about incentives for merchants, not just downtown but throughout Largo, as well as go over some development items," Pistillo said Wednesday.

"We are also going to discuss some future events, like the Art Hop we're planning for next spring, and some other smaller issues that affect the downtown district."

Pistillo recently brought those "smaller" issues to the attention of city officials when she spoke at the City Commission meeting last week.

Her plans call for more signage to allow people to know there actually is a downtown Largo merchants district, plus some simple yet effective ways to help beautify the city.

"I came up with the idea of putting signs up at Missouri Avenue and West Bay and at Clearwater Largo Road and West Bay to let people know the downtown district actually exists," Pistillo said.

"I also mentioned putting the banners back up on the city's light poles, as well as activating the lighting that is currently under the trees along West Bay."

Pistillo isn't asking the city to foot the bill or even create the signs; she says she'll hold fundraisers and design the signs herself.

She just wants to see some of these things get done that she believes can help change the image of a city like Largo.

"These are the kind of things that add to the quaint feel of a city," she said.

"If it's a money issue let me know how much money we need and I'll raise it."

The DLMA meeting is at 6 p.m. at Largo Feed, located at 210 West Bay Drive. All Largo merchants are welcome.