Main Street Ottumwa is continuing a new monthly initiative designed to support downtown dining establishments in a simple and meaningful way. The Downtown Lunch Club will meet on Thursday, March 26, at Karen Thai, 323 E. Main Street and will continue on the fourth Thursday of each month at a different downtown location.
Downtown Lunch Club is modeled after a “cash mob” concept. Each month, community members are invited to gather at a featured restaurant, purchase their own lunch and enjoy good food and great company while directly supporting a local business. There is no formal
program, no membership requirement, and no agenda beyond showing up and sharing a meal together.
“Last month we had a really positive reception to the launch of our Downtown Lunch Club,” said Kris Patrick, Executive Director of Main Street Ottumwa. “As we continue the event and it grows and becomes a routine, we can have a meaningful impact on our dining businesses downtown.
First by helping them have one really great lunch service, but more importantly, by introducing more customers to incredible cuisine downtown so they come back again and again.”
The event is open to business owners, employees, residents and anyone who wants to be part of strengthening downtown Ottumwa. Main Street Ottumwa will rotate locations each month to ensure a wide range of restaurants benefit from the added foot traffic and exposure.
By encouraging participants to gather regularly and dine locally, Downtown Lunch Club supports Main Street Ottumwa’s mission to foster a vibrant, dynamic and healthy downtown through community engagement and collaborative partnerships.
Community members are encouraged to mark their calendars for March 26 and plan to join the group at Karen Thai. Additional dates and locations will be announced at www.mainstreetottumwa.com/events.
