This story in the Pulaski County Daily contains several interesting items that indicate the Route 66 town of Wayneville, Mo., is on the verge of an economic revival, if it isn’t already.
- The city’s sales-tax revenue rose 7 percent last year — a big contrast to many area towns that are seeing double-digit decreases. And city fathers anticipate sales-tax receipts to go higher when a planned hotel and national military museum open near Interstate 44.
- Improvements to the historic Roubidoux Creek Bridge, which once carried Route 66, are reportedly edging closer to fruition.
- The city council is considering mixed zoning in portions of downtown so it would allow people to rent apartments on the second floor of historic buildings.
- The old Brown’s shoe store on the Square will be replaced by a boutique and an Irish pub called Hoppers, named in honor of the Waynesville frog mascot. Local developer Tom Campbell bought an abandoned three-story building on the southeast side of Benton Street and Route 66. New downtown developments also include the Paradise Deli and The Drynk restaurant and lounge.
I’ve always found downtown Waynesville to contain a lot of rustic charm. Now it appears that others are discovering this as well.