Export business owners get together to help promote the borough

Over the past several years, Export Borough has undergone a bit of a revitalization.

Several once-empty storefronts along its downtown are occupied, and borough officials working with the Junior Hall Trust and the Export Historical Society have capitalized on the addition of the Westmoreland Heritage Trail by relocating Export’s war memorial and building a replica of the former train station nearby.

The borough’s Light Up Night in early December was a prime example, as officials shut down most of Washington Avenue for a cookie crawl, visit from Santa and general neighborhood camaraderie.

That celebration was the first big undertaking for the Export Business Group, a group of more than a dozen local business owners that officially formed in May.

“We saw the growth going on in town, particularly the welcome center (train station) going up, and we thought it was maybe time to stop sitting on the sidelines and get involved ourselves,” said Tony DeCesare, owner of Jigger’s Pub on Washington Avenue.

DeCesare’s 2016 renovation and expansion of Jigger’s — as well as his acquisition of the former Master Auto Supply building across the street — was among the first in a wave of improvements throughout the borough’s downtown area.

“We want to continue the prosperity of the town and put into it as much as we’re getting,” DeCesare said.

“We’re investors here as well, so we can work hand in hand with the borough instead of individually.”

Karen Wade, owner of Wade’s Breakfast & Grille on Washington Avenue, said she sees the group as a way to not just help organize events such as Light Up Night, but to capitalize on the people it attracts and give them more reasons to return.

“I think a lot of our role has to do with letting people know where we are,” Wade said.

“So much of the feedback I get is people saying, ‘Wow, I’ve never been down to this part of Export. I can’t believe there’s a boutique right here.’ Hopefully, we can get people to stop saying that.”

Before the development of the Route 22 corridor, when Murrysville was still Franklin Township and much of it was farmland, Export’s position as a coal town also made it a center of commerce. Members of the Export Business Group wouldn’t mind seeing that happen again.

“We have some ideas for things like signage that has business names on it,” Wade said. “That’s a big goal of mine is for people to know where something like Jigger’s is, instead of saying, ‘I keep hearing about that place.’ ”

DeCesare said one of the group’s immediate goals is to work with the borough and get the town’s central parking lot fully paved.

“We’d like to help them pursue grants and find a way to get it done,” he said. “Because there’s not a lot of room for growth and expansion in the town, but getting that paved can help us be better hosts when we have events here.”

Wade said she is working on the social-media end of things for the group, which meets once a month on the third Monday.

The next meeting will be at 6 p.m., Jan. 24 at Wade’s, 5891 Washington Ave.

“A lot of people, believe it or not, have no idea where Export is, and we want to be known,” said Chris Franco, owner of Franco’s Nail Salon and the group’s secretary.

“We’re a great little town.”