COLUMBIA − Directors and contractors for Business Loop 70 have tried to figure out ways to best utilize the area for years.
As the entrance to the city of Columbia, part of the economic recovery and revitalization for the area now means focusing on local businesses.
“What we do have in Columbia is this hidden economy of makers. We have people that are roasting coffee, they’re making furniture, they’re cooking wonderful food,” Carrie Gartner, executive director of The Loop, said. “Our thought is, ‘How do we lift up and encourage all these local makers in a way that helps them and help our street?'”
While there is not a lot of physical space for artisans and makers at the moment, two workspaces in town use their spaces as a way to bring the community…
