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Stores put on fall colors

T-L Photo/ ROBERT A. DEFRANK St. Clairsville businesses will compete in a fall decorating contest along Main Street to give the city an autumn flair. Shown meeting Tuesday are, from left, Jennifer Gerevics, with Home Savings Bank; St. Clairsville Council President and Chamber of Commerce President Tim Porter; Chamber Director Wendy Anderson; Melanie Blacker, administrator with Huntington Bank; Lynn Jeffries, co-owner of Three Labs Salvage; Kirke Porterfield, owner of Kirke’s Ice Cream and Porterfield’s Drive-Thru Farm; and St. Clairsville Planning and Zoning Director Tom Murphy.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — Visitors to the city’s Main Street this fall will be treated to a festive atmosphere appropriate to the autumn and harvest season, with many of the city’s businesses interested in decorating their store front for a fall contest.

“The decorating contest begins Sept. 30,” said Wendy Anderson, director of the St. Clairsville Chamber of Commerce. “All businesses have to be ready by the 30th. We’re going to do it from Porterfield’s all the way to (Plaza West in downtown St. Clairsville).”

Anderson said the top three winners will receive prizes of $100, $75 and $50. The winners will be selected between Sept. 30 and Oct. 12 by anonymous judges from out of town.

“This is just a way to showcase Belmont County and provide our kick-off to the fall season,” she said. “It’s nice to get the city and all the business people.”

The winner will be announced at a celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 12 at the plaza in front of the courthouse.

“We’re going to have two food trucks, Ideal Provisions and Desparado Dogs, and we’re going to have entertainment,” said Anderson.

Melanie Blacker, administrator with Huntington Bank, said the bank was committed to taking part in holiday occasions in the community.

“We try to participate in all the downtown activities,” she said.

Jennifer Gerevics, of Home Savings Bank, said members of her bank wanted to be part of it, too.

“Home Savings is excited to celebrate the season with all the community,” she said. “We like to give back to the community and enjoy those things, and we are excited to add that flair to the Plaza West area and maybe get those businesses to join in and just come together and celebrate St. Clairsville as a whole.”

Kirke Porterfield, owner of Kirke’s Ice Cream and Porterfield’s Drive-Thru Farm, looks forward to making use of fall produce.

“Fall is a great time to decorate,” he said. “Everything’s just beautiful in the fall, the leaves are changing, so there’ll be corn stalks and pumpkins, straw bales and some other stuff.”

A mix of established and newer businesses will be participating.

“We’re a rather new business in downtown St. Clairsville,” said Lynn Jeffries, co-owner of Three Labs Salvage. “Since we’re a salvage business, we’re going to try to incorporate that aesthetic into our designs, and we also do sell florals and dried flowers.”

Anderson said she hopes to build interest and friendly competition among the city businesses.

“We have a strong chamber,” she said. “We just want it to grow.”

City officials have lent their support to the initiative.

“Wendy and I actually went door-to-door … and handed out fliers,” said Tim Porter, St. Clairsville council president and chamber president. “I’m just proud to be representing the city and the chamber.”

For details about the contest, call the chamber at 740-695-9623.

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