Bedford County
Resident Profile
Hometown Woman Works to Improve Downtown Bedford By Dana Black McGrath Photos by Bob Webb
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uli Dull is a life-long resident of Bedford who now is working full-time – and then some – toward the improvement of her beloved Bedford. Although she was born in Colorado while her father was serving in the military, both of Dull’s parents were from Bedford and returned to town shortly after she was born. Most of her extended family also is from Bedford County. Dull, who lives in Bedford, has served as manager of the Downtown Bedford, Inc. (DBI) organization for the past five years. She is a graduate of Bedford High School and went on to earn a degree in business management from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown. Before taking on that position, she owned a gift shop, Deepwood Gallery, in town for nearly 11 years but decided to sell the business to spend more time with her young family. “I had two boys at home and I didn’t want to keep working weekends and evenings,” she explains. During that time as a business owner, she actually was one of the town’s merchants who worked to start the town’s Main Street organization. “I was familiar with the program because I helped to establish it as a merchant,” she said. After selling her business but before landing her position at Downtown Bedford, Dull launched a career in real estate, and still actively works as a realtor with
SKS/Coldwell Banker Realty. Her background and experience in real estate make her uniquely qualified to handle the task of keeping the town’s storefronts filled. “There are only two to three empty storefronts in town, and with the economy the way it is, we’re doing pretty well,” said Dull. Wearing that many hats may be daunting for many people, but Dull thrives on the busy pace. “I do better when I am busy,” she says. “I like to be organized, and if I have more to do, I feel better.” Downtown Bedford is a main street organization that is Pennsylvania-certified and nationally recognized. The program was established eight years ago. The non-profit organization’s vision is to revitalize downtown Bedford. According to the DBI website, “Downtown Bedford, Inc. is an association of persons interested in the enhancement of the business and tourism environment of the Bedford area through the cooperative efforts of the area’s business, civic, and social community.” A part of that effort includes providing $150,000 in grants to area businesses for signage. Owners may apply for up to $6,000 in grant money, provided by the state, to improve the look of their business. Details about the program and the application process are available at the DBI website. “It has helped to make the Main Street area look a lot better,” said Dull.