Paul Goes Downtown

06/06/2026

We went to the hydrant party on the square, walked down Madison Street to admire the flowers and checked out the Farmers Market. Live music, fresh produce and crafts. Then we checked out the new ice cream truck on the way home!

05/16/2026

Some Japanese Milk Bread for breakfast. I enjoyed the Aurora Downtown Project first farmers market last night and purchased some bread from Small Beginnings which is really great!
Next downtown market evening will be June 5th; mark your calendars!

04/24/2026

Here’s a great opportunity!
As chair of the Economic Vitality Committee I believe it’s great that we have a business in our downtown that has outgrown the building and is ready to move forward. It’s also great that this historic building is on the market for an investor and or entrepreneur to take on.
Please contact me at [email protected] if you would like to discuss the benefits of locating your business in the Aurora Downtown. The Economic Vitality Committee would love to talk to you; Aurora also has a great Chamber and we can refer you to other agencies that provide business support.
Aurora Downtown Project invested in downtown’s comeback!

For Sale: 1 baths, 16000 SqFt, 23 W Olive Street, Aurora, MO 65605 is a Industrial property listed at $399,000, MLS #60321367

04/24/2026

I am working on a list of public bathrooms available when you shop downtown.
You can thank me later.
Also, comment below-

04/18/2026

Taking my son to The Garden Exchange to try Kristy’s Kitchen cake pop for breakfast.

04/01/2026

I will be rebranding this page to Paul Goes Downstream as I pursue my newly acquired passion for fishing and one-lane bridges in Arkansas.

03/08/2026

Celebrating International Women’s Day by taking the director of The Pregnancy Care Center out to lunch at Winston’s

03/06/2026

The key to getting your picture posted by MMSC is 1. Location 2. Look like you mean business 3. Sit with the cool people.
In all seriousness, we learned a lot and are already implementing what was shared with us. Thanks Ben!

Our team visited Aurora, Cape Girardeau, and Joplin last week.

In Aurora, Ben and Julie provided Aurora Downtown Project with their Strategy Implementation Training as part of the Community Empowerment Grant program. During this training their volunteers learned about action planning, helping stakeholders identify key partners, determine needed funding, and set measures of success. Our team left behind examples of action plans, templates, and next steps on implementing their community’s vision and communicating the value of projects to funders.

In Cape Girardeau, Keith and Katelyn spoke as guest speakers in Dr. Hoffman’s classroom. They shared their passion for Main Street and encouraged them to get involved in their local community. Main Street needs their perspective, which is vital to shaping the future of Missouri communities.

In Joplin, Gayla provided Downtown Joplin Alliance with an organizational visit to support their foundational structure by strengthening the work between staff, executive board, and board at large.

Each visit looks a little different, but the goal is always the same: listen, collaborate, and help communities build a strong foundation for long-term Main Street success.