ALTON – Thursday's Night Market hosted by Alton Main Street was the last stop for the Deluxe Corporation's “Small Business Revolution” crew before season three of the show, which features Alton, will debut Oct. 4 on Hulu.
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The weekly bazaar hosted in the pocket park between Jacoby Arts Center and Germania Brew Haus was packed to the gills Thursday evening with people wanting to meet with the crew, enjoy the market, and get their photos taken next to large, sheet-metal letters provided by Winona, Minnesota-based YourType. YourType owner, Todd Hoffman drove the letters to Alton from Minnesota to celebrate the city's inclusion in season three of “The Small Business Revolution.”
“Last night's crowd was exactly what we had hoped the market would bring to the streets and businesses of downtown,” Alton Main Street Promotions Committee Co-Chair Sally Kirbach said in a Facebook message. “We've aimed to provide Alton entertainment as well as a welcoming place for aspiring artists and entrepreneurs.”
Hoffman said as a local business in a small town, the donation of the large letters were a gift as well as self-promotion. He said he has been in the sign business since the 80s, and has owned his own sign business since 1996. Within the last nine months, he has been making large letters in-house, and said they are growing in popularity. In fact, YourType is one of the only businesses of its kind in the country.
Outside of the large letters and film crew, several vendors were peddling their wares both in the pocket park and within Jacoby itself. Local band, Hookie, was performing, and a light show illuminated the side of Jacoby after dark.
While last night's Night Market is the last time the film crew of “The Small Business Revolution” will be in town filming for season three, it is not the last opportunity to check out Alton Main Street's Night Market. Next Thursday, Aug. 30, will be, however, as the season concludes at the end of the month.
It will also be a special Night Market, as it will be the birthday of Alton Main Street Executive Director Sara McGibany. To celebrate, Alton Main Street has made the music theme "Women in Alton Music," which will feature some of Alton's prominent female musicians and vocalists.
