Hopwood Village Project plans program to boost tourism
HOPWOOD – The Hopwood Village Project, through a $7,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, will implement a new program to try to increase tourism in the village. According to Committee Member Joyce Goodstein, the project will act like a co-op type program with area vendors paying a nominal fee to sell their wares in Hopwood.
Goodstein said that six vendors will rent space in the Perwinkle Shops located at 1167 National Road and the shops will open Friday, June 6, and Saturday, June 7.
“We are organizing this for these people to come in and try to get a spark started in the village,” Goodstein said. “We want people to consider Hopwood for their businesses.”
The shops, which will be located in the old Speedway Inn building across from the Amoco service station, will be opened for a five-month period, from June through October, on Wednesday through Saturday, 12 to 5 p.m.
According to Goodstein, the six vendors signed on for the program include antiques by the Country Shop, handcrafted baskets by James Tomasek, hand-cut glass by Peter O’Rourke, pewter items by Robert Fleszar, still life photography by Pat Thomas and antiques by Unique Antiques. Goodstein said that there could be two more vendors participating by the opening weekend.
The Hopwood Village Project is a community-led initiative to revitalize the village, create a scenic corridor and enhance the safety of area residents.
Goodstein said that to apply for the grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission, communities must agree to send a team to the Appalachian Community Learning Project of Pennsylvania Project. She said team members from the Hopwood Village Project include committee members herself, Al Botti, John Petro and Harry McElroy as well as two Laurel Highlands High School students Evan McCann and Chelsea Harshman.
The target of the funding is to increase tourism in the village, Goostein said and noted that many things have already been accomplished in the last six months to advance tourism the area. She said that lighting has been installed at gateway signs, trash receptacles have been purchased and two cleanup days have been held, landscaping has been done in the village and now the co-op type program is being implemented. She said all these things are contributing to the refurbishment of the area.
“Our target for the funding is to increase tourism,” Goostein said. “We would like to bring more people in to the village and someone might even consider the idea of the co-op for that.”
According to Goodstein, cookies and punch will be served to all shoppers during the grand opening June 6 and 7 and that anyone who makes a purchase of $5 or more is eligible for a door prize.