by Nathan Boddy
The owners of Chapter One Bookstore in downtown Hamilton are making full use of available grants and their membership with the Hamilton Downtown Association (HDA) in order to make improvements to their historic building. Co-owners, Katrina Mendrey, Marissa Neyenhuis and Mara Luther have used a matching grant from American Express and Main Street America to install a Norton 5845 operator on their front door, which makes the entrance ADA compliant. The device, which was installed by On the Fly Lock and Key, collects power from each manual actuation of the door, allowing it to be opened with the push of a button when needed. The grant received by Chapter One was one of only 350 given to small businesses nationwide.
“This has been on our list of things to do for a long time,” said Katrina Mendrey about the new ADA door. The owners had assembled a list of things they’d like to accomplish with the over-100-year-old building, and jumped at the chance to accomplish one of those items with the assistance of grant funds. Other improvements will take place on the outside of the building where the owners plan to install awnings, repair and seal brick, and see the creation of a mural on the west side of the building. The trio hopes to use the Facade Improvement Grant (FIG) Program through the HDA to make some of the external changes, and sees all of the improvements as a part of community improvement.
Hamilton Downtown Association director, Robin Pruitt, was at Chapter One Bookstore for the open house and viewing of the ADA door, and expressed her enthusiasm for Chapter One’s involvement in the FIG program.
“We’re very excited about Chapter One jumping right in and being a great example and great model to all the other businesses that are going to come after,” said Pruitt. She added that they are all very excited to kick off the FIG program.
The FIG program is available to businesses and building owners within the Hamilton Historic Downtown Area, and covers a wide variety of improvements such as rehabilitation of storefronts, removal of non-historic elements, and repair and replacement of architectural details.
Pruitt said that the Hamilton Downtown Association partners with other entities such as the Montana Main Street program as well as the City of Hamilton to accomplish its goals. That model of partnership can be found between other towns and their respective business associations throughout the state. Pruitt said, “Hopefully this opportunity is really going to make a huge impact.” She also commented on the relative impact that such improvement programs can have on the walkability and general nature of an area, lending to the overall enjoyability of passing through public spaces.
In keeping with their plans for a more walkable space, the bookstore owners are also planning to facilitate the painting of a mural on the western face of the building to extend from the edge of the brick clear to the alley north of the building, which they hope to accomplish through a mix of private donations and grant money.
Chapter One’s owners have already made the ‘call for artists’ on their website. Mendrey enunciated some of the thoughts behind the plan by saying they ultimately want to see the artistic installment as, “something that would encourage people to continue down the street to other downtown businesses on 2nd, 3rd and 4th that are not on Main Street. To provide some public art, but also something to attract people to the other businesses that surround Main Street as well.”
Chapter One bookstore began in 1974, and will be celebrating its 50th anniversary next year. Mendrey said that she and the other owners see the mural as, “sort of our gift to the community for having us here for 50 years and supporting us for half a century.”
More information about the mural can be found on the bookstore’s website, but the owners hope that the chosen mural will reflect elements of the community and landscape, while also being a tribute to books which fill the shelves within.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to correct some factual errors.