Upper Lake >> A couple years ago the storefronts along Main Street Upper Lake stood barren and dark. Visitors walked past empty window after empty window on their way to the few thriving businesses — the Lake County Wine Studio for a tasting or the Blue Wing Saloon for dinner. Some businesses had come and gone, some had remained with open doors, but most retail spaces were simply shuttered year after year.
But that’s all begun to change. In the past 12 months or so, numerous stores and eateries have popped up along the short stretch of road just off the highway. There’s the Vintage Deli Station, Mi Chelas Mexican restaurant, Regina’s Ribbons boutique, People Pleasing Pantry, Lavender Blue, and more.
“There’s definitely some new life and energy that is coming into the little town there,” said Susan Feiler, Lake County Wine Studio (LCWS) proprietor.
It’s the type of energy Bernie and Lynne Butcher, Tallman Hotel and Blue Wing Saloon owners, have been waiting for since acquiring the hotel ten years ago. When they first bought the 1980s-era auberge, there was very little happening in Upper Lake. They thought that by opening a hotel and restaurant, placing two billboards out on the highway to draw travelers in, more visitors and entrepreneurs would be attracted to the small town.
Unfortunately that didn’t happen. Other than the Lake County Wine Studio, Upper Lake stayed mostly the same. Then when the recession hit in 2008, no one was looking to take any financial risks. And so the small community didn’t see much growth.
But in recent years the economy has turned around. Unemployment is down and mortgage bills are more easily handled. Finally, people are willing to take a chance and begin their own business. And the more shops that open, the more others are enticed to follow suit.
“I think the little bit of a mini Renaissance that we’re seeing right now is what we expected when we started,” said Butcher. “The deli in the old gas station, that’s kind of the second wave of new things happening because there’s more traffic downtown.”
The economy isn’t the only thing to thank for this surge in new business. There’s also the redevelopment funds the town received back before 2007, which allowed for the construction of streetlamp lined sidewalks. The town went from dowdy to quaint.
Now, Upper Lake looks as though it could be filled with cameras, sound equipment and a director’s chair. “Who wouldn’t want to film their little movie up there?” asked Feiler. “It’s darling.”
But before the redevelopment, before the Tallman Hotel and the Lake County Wine Studio, Upper Lake wasn’t completely empty. Debbie Hablutzel’s flooring business, Country Carpets, has been operating consistently since 1990 out of the same Main Street shop. And she credits the Butchers with being the spark which began the town’s revitalization.
They were the beginning of it all, she said. Then came the redevelopment, which Hablutzel agreed helped tremendously with ambiance. “It’s very friendly and cozy,” she said. “It’s a small town atmosphere with really good shops to shop in.”
In the month of December, LCWS saw an uptick in traffic, which Feiler believes can be attributed to the thriving business scene. And if that’s an indicator of things to come, the wine studio is only going to do better and better. Just the other day Feiler noticed a sold sign displayed in one of the few remaining empty storefronts. When Westamerica Bank was sold, the community was worried, but the Elem Indian Colony Pomo Tribe assuaged any fears. They’ll be setting up offices and an educational center at the location.
Although Hablutzel hasn’t seen a huge surge in business at Country Carpets, she has witnessed more foot traffic in the town itself, often stepping outside and meeting any number of people from other sides of the county.
“All the efforts are paying off. The county has made a lot of effort and investment in that area,” Hablutzel said. “I think it’s finally coming around.”
The county can’t take all the credit though, she added. The businesses themselves, both long-time fixtures and newly opened establishments, have been huge assets in making Upper Lake into what it is today.
Feiler couldn’t help but draw comparisons to Las Vegas. When construction first broke ground there, many people likely wondered what in the world developers and investors were thinking. Very few people probably saw the booming success coming.
Upper Lake is, of course, quite different, but there is that feeling of the underdog surpassing expectations.
“It’s moms and pops and individuals making things happen, and it’s happening,” Feiler said. “They’re definitely trying to elevate the experience for everybody.”
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
