This is a test, just a test.

Downtown Pomona was abuzz last night with activity, and it's just a Thursday. The Chamber of Commerce hosted a mixer at Sukura Ichi, celebrating the restaurant's re-opening after having been closed for 2 months due to water damage. The chamber couldn't have asked for a better turnout.

While the mixer was in progress over 3000 people descended on the downtown. The Glass House was sold out with a crowd of 850, the Fox was sold out with a crowd of 2000 people. Angelo's, Locust Lounge, DBA Wine Bar, and Acerogami were all full as well. Many, or most of these visitors were first timers to the downtown or returning visitors from recent years and the comments heard throughout the downtown were music to the ears of any supporter of the downtown. Comments were overwhelmingly positive, most seemed pleasantly surprised with the revitalized face of the downtown.

Preliminary reports indicate that even with this crowd there were lots of empty free parking spaces available. The $4 lot across from the Fox was full, an indication that people ARE willing to pay for parking. Traffic for the most part was orderly, with one small bottleneck at Garey & 3rd. (Nothing that can't be worked out in the future.)

One has to wonder what the pundants mean by economic downturn or recession. It would appear that those demons are no match for momentum, and downtown Pomona certainly has momentum!