Holly Trolley Tour Showcases Small Local Businesses

In honor of small business Saturday, Fort Wayne welcomed back the Holly Trolley shopping tour. Free trolley rides were provided by The Downtown Improvement District showcasing retailers and businesses throughout the downtown area. 

Downtown Fort Wayne was bustling  with shoppers who were taken to over 40 downtown small businesses offering unique local holiday gifts that shoppers won't find in big box stores. 

"Even with black Friday yesterday people went out and got their mainstream deals but then they came here for something local so that's where we can provide something different and unique," said Lindsey Hively, a small business owner.   

Hivley, owner of Kernel Coladas based in Columbia City temporarily set up her popcorn shop  downtown  along with other retailers in an unused office space.  These pop-up shops were just one stop along the trolley tour.

"It's been amazingly busy since the trolley started at 11.  We've had a steady stream of customers and that just awesome to see that many people in downtown Fort Wayne," said Hively. 

"These people are entrepreneurial and they are small start- ups and they are doings things that are boutique--it's a boutique environment and that's the kind of environment you can't get in a big box," said Bill Brown, the interim president of the Downtown Improvement District. 

Brown says for some The Holly Trolley tour introduces people to the downtown area for the first time and for others it reconnects them with downtown Fort Wayne. 

"Its really interesting the aspect of discovery, that's one of the most fun things about the trolley shopping is discovering what's down here," said Brown. 

Hivley is testing the Fort Wayne market in the hopes of opening up a permanent popcorn store and says today's success has her thinking green. 

"We're looking to double what we did last year and we've pretty much doubled everything across the board so we are getting ready for that," said Hively.