‘An exciting and optimistic time’: Bellefonte’s small business community continues to grow
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Business Matters: Reshaping communities
How is Centre County growing, and how does the approach to growth affect families, businesses and visitors? The answer is different depending on where you look — from downtown State College’s ever-evolving landscape to Bellefonte’s small business boom and Snow Shoe’s struggles after business loss. The Centre Daily Times’ annual Business Matters section explores growth and development throughout the county.
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While the pandemic has imposed obstacles for business owners around the state, the bustling streets of downtown Bellefonte tell a different story. Over the past two years, about 20 new businesses have opened in the town — inspiring a new era of growth and development.
Bellefonte Main Street Manager Jennilyn Schuster said the town’s focus is on boosting “community differentiation” by drawing in a diverse set of businesses that appeal to a broad range of residents and visitors. Within walking distance downtown, for example, there is a yoga studio, a sub shop, antique stores and a pub — to name a few.
“When we think of key economic development and really focusing on competitive advantage, we want to make sure that Bellefonte is at the forefront of that, so we are focusing on trying to get a variety of businesses into the town,” Schuster said.
She also emphasized that the town is witnessing a significant growth in its housing market, such as an inflow of young professionals and remote workers moving into the area.
To help cater to small businesses, Schuster said the borough has been working on a comprehensive program with guidance on how to open a business in Bellefonte. The guide, which is expected to roll out in the spring, will include workshops that allow business owners to meet with an architect, the Centre Region Code Administration and Bellefonte borough’s zoning office with the goal of providing resources to make doing business in Bellefonte easier.
Catering to old and new businesses
A number of new businesses, including several boutique-style shops, have opened their doors over the past couple of years, bringing with them a new appeal for shoppers to visit the town.
In September 2020, after two years of renovating a former mattress shop on Spring Street, Belle Mercantile, a collective marketplace for local vendors, opened for business. The brick-and-mortar shop serves other small business owners by giving them space to sell their items without having to deal with the tedious process of operating their own store.
From stained glass to organic skincare, the marketplace has quickly become a staple in the community for people to shop locally, purchase unique gifts and even get a bite to eat.
Co-owner Andrea Skirpan said the positive community support — especially amid the difficulties presented by the pandemic — has been paramount in her business’s success.
She emphasized that Downtown Bellefonte Inc., the Bellefonte Intervalley Chamber of Commerce and the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau have been doing “everything they can” to promote small businesses, Bellefonte and the Centre Region to residents and visitors.
“Even during the pandemic, it’s an exciting and optimistic time in Bellefonte,” Skirpan said.
With a new wave of businesses on the rise, longtime business owners are also experiencing the benefits.
David Letterman inherited his family’s business from his grandparents, who opened the Bonfatto’s grocery store in Bellefonte in 1919. The 102-year-old business has evolved rapidly in the years since then and in 2019, Letterman opened Bonfatto’s Italian Market & Corner Café in downtown Bellefonte.
Over the years, Letterman said he’s seen the town ebb and flow in terms of growth and development, emphasizing that the past five years specifically have marked a drastic incline in the town’s business sector and tourism market.
“There are so many young people and young professionals coming to the town to raise their families,” Letterman said. “People love coming to the town, they love the atmosphere, the close-knit community and how the downtown businesses work closely together.”
In illustration of the cross-business collaboration, Letterman, along with other Bellefonte business owners, purchased an ice rink in Talleyrand Park and donated it to the borough. The rink opened in January and has enhanced Bellefonte’s “Hallmark” feel.
Letterman said the goal of the ice rink is twofold: first, to give back to community members with something to look forward to during winter months and second, to bring people from outside of Bellefonte into the town to benefit small businesses.
This joint effort is just one example of how the town has fostered a strong community atmosphere conducive to tourism. From Friday in the ‘Fonte, a summertime event with free live music and activities, to Bellefonte Under the Lights, a vibrant winter market, the town has marketed itself a destination to visit for outsiders.
What’s next for Bellefonte’s Waterfront Project?
Like other business owners, Letterman and Skirpan said they are eager for Bellefonte’s plans to cultivate growth, such as the Waterfront Project that is in the works.
Borough Manager Ralph Stewart said the project is the result of decades of planning and borough efforts to renovate and redevelop the historic waterfront area to make it more inviting and attractive for businesses, residents and visitors.
The vision for the project includes a promenade along Spring Creek with access to commercial and residential space and a boutique hotel with approximately 80 guest rooms and a farm-to-table restaurant.
The plan, which emphasizes the traditional, historic look of Bellefonte, also incorporates condominium apartment units, additional buildings for offices and retail geared toward small businesses and a large parking garage.
Stewart said that while the COVID-19 pandemic has halted plans to get the project off the ground — such as securing bank loans for hotel construction — things are beginning to look up. He said that property owners plan on resuming the process in the spring and construction is expected to break ground this summer.
Business owners are looking forward to the finalization of the development plans in the next few years due to the potential for drawing in an influx of tourism and foot traffic.
Stewart said this initiative is reflective of the work being done throughout the town by both Historic Bellefonte Inc. and Downtown Bellefonte Inc. to help boost Bellefonte’s small business economy.
“Small businesses need foot traffic, whether it’s through emails, social media, web pages or physical footsteps, and each entity has found its own niche of bringing people in and making people aware that these businesses are here and the services that they are offering,” Stewart said.
What’s on the horizon for Bellefonte is a continuation of the town’s promotion of its small businesses and close-knit community — values that continue to mark Bellefonte as a town full of character and charm.
“Whether you’re an outdoor enthusiast, or you want to seek out culture, or you are really into historic preservation there’s something here for you,” Schuster said.
