Annual Downtown Tiffin summit included announcements, awards

Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership hosted the 2021 Main Street Celebration and Downtown Summit Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, at the Chandelier Community Event Center, 151 S. Washington St. The program included award presentations, celebrated the success of 2020 and 2021 – including the resiliency of the community amongst a global pandemic – and gave a look forward to the next year.

During the event, Joyce Barrett, Executive Director of Heritage Ohio, announced this year’s recipient of the Main Street Business of the Year award is Dave Spridgeon with The Renaissance and Barrel 51. The Renaissance and Barrel 51 opened its doors in 2017 to bring the roaring 20s back to Tiffin. The bar incorporates 1920s style drinks, uniforms and furniture. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, Spridgeon and grew his business, by opening a food truck and purchasing a party bus, which was converted into a speakeasy on wheels.

Spridgeon will be recognized during the annual Preservation and Revitalization Conference, taking place Oct. 18-20 in Springfield, Ohio.

The Celebration included the 2021 Downtown Tiffin Main Street Awards ceremony. Winning awards were:

• Tony Consolo, Anne Gase Achievement Award.
• Hempy Water/Jeff Knedler, Development Award.
• Jam’s Monthly Markets/Jami Fadley, Entrepreneurial Award.
• Bear’s Den/Dennis Wickert, Business Legacy Award.
• Dale Depew, Main Street Director Award.

The night also featured:

• Ohio Sen. Kirk Schuring gave the keynote speech about downtown revitalization, introduced by Ohio Sen. Bill Reineke.
• Year in review by Director of Downtown Revitalization Amy Reinhart.
• No Eileen gave a live performance, accompanied by a slideshow of projects and events.