Crafting a space to grow with the Downtown Business Alliance

Story and Photos by Lizz Daniels

Laughter filled the air as cocoa flowed, filling mugs during this year’s downtown Sip ‘n Stroll event. It’s a local Holiday staple, and for many, it is the official kickoff of their Christmas season.

The event was launched 11 years ago by the Seguin Downtown Business Alliance, who has helped keep the tradition going all these years later. The DBA, much like the Sip ‘n Stroll, began small but has grown over time.

DBA President Dana Hall owns the downtown crafting studio, You’re So Crafty.

“That was our event,” said Hall. “It was really just formed to help our own investments in opening a downtown retail store. And then it just kind of –– there were only five of us, and you know how that goes. So we continued to do Sip ‘n Stroll with the support of Kyle (Kramm) and the Mainstreet department, they’ve helped keep it alive.”

The downtown area in Seguin is expanding, despite the hardships caused by the pandemic. You’re So Crafty has been in its current location for the past six years.

“It’s the most retail we’ve had downtown in a long time,” said Hall. “There have been a couple of large investors. Mary Reiley, when she bought her building, it sort of sparked a little something.”

Gift & Gourment, owned by Reiley, has become a downtown staple carrying local wares and wildly popular brands like Kendra Scott. But when new businesses with unique aesthetics come in, like Culture (a downtown skate and clothing shop), the area continues to expand local commerce options.

Photo by Lizz Daniels

Part of the Downtown Business Alliance’s purpose is to help manage this growth in a way that is beneficial to them and the shoppers, no matter if they are tourists or locals.

“We can make things happen a lot faster than government can,” said Hall. “Kyle’s department is amazing in supporting downtown, but he is limited to the historic segment of downtown. He’s funded by the Texas Historic Commission. Keepers is outside of the historic downtown, Serenity Boutique is not inside downtown, but they’re DBA members. So we work in conjunction with Mainstreet, but we are a private association. There are so many new people in town, and it was like we got to get them and we need our own local residents to understand that we’re down here.”

To achieve this, they launched a now-familiar downtown event, Third Thursdays, where shops stay open late to allow those community members that work during regular business hours a time to go shopping in the places they know and love.

The DBA’s current focus is to help fill out Austin Street so that once shoppers make their rounds downtown, they can continue the strolling shopping experience all while seeing more of Seguin. Part of this initiative is to introduce Wayfinding, or something similar, much like you would find in a shopping mall.

“People aren’t going to walk down there if they don’t know what’s down there,” said Hall. “It’s a very walkable downtown, but if you don’t know what’s down there you might not go. And so Kyle’s like ‘yeah, we’ve been talking about that,’ and I was like can we help pay for that? If it’s not in your city budget, can we help pay for it –– do a fundraiser or some sort of awareness campaign?”

While these plans have yet to come to fruition, Hall is excited about the positive direction downtown is heading because it helps her shop grow.

You’re So Crafty is a labor of love but allows her to share her creativity with the Seguin community. Despite the hardship of opening a business, the people she meets make it all worthwhile.

“I was too stubborn to give up,” said Hall. “I really like the people and helping them do something they didn’t think they could do. And they’re just adorable, kids are adorable. But that makes it all worthwhile, just meeting people. I really enjoy telling people about Seguin. “

Photo by Lizz Daniels

You’re So Crafty has a comfortable, familiar feel to it, and maybe that is because it has a heart that beats for Seguin. They offer a wide variety of crafting-related supplies and have lots of space in the back for customers of all ages to create their projects in store with supplies (and help) at hand.

“All of it is walk-in crafting; you can come in anytime and do the things,” said Hall. “You just show up –– canvas, pottery, mosaics, glass –– you just come and bring your snack, and drinks and stuff and hang out.”

During COVID, You’re So Crafty had to put their creative thinking skills to the test to find ways to cater to clients when meeting in person wasn’t possible. They began curbside, take-home service to solve the problem, which has inspired their Christmas-themed takehome kits.

“We embellished the kits, and put candy, and then we also started carrying a line called Spice Box –– it comes with a sketch pad, plus markers, brushes and paint. And it tells you how to draw the dinosaur.”

The Guadalupe County area continues to grow, which means new opportunities for local businesses, translating to good things for local shoppers. With downtown shops of every variety, Seguin continues to establish its presence in the wider Texas area, building itself up by banding together. • 13

Photo by Lizz Daniels