Director Cruz approaches new Main St. Project with a focus On historic, interesting uniqueness of 'Yesteryear' Eagle Pass

You're walking in 1964 downtown Eagle Pass, Texas. You walk into Riskind's and get waited on with the individualized efficiency and respect that only exists in high end stores. As you stroll down Main St. you would've been fitted for shoes at Canon's or your mom would visit the Style Shop or S. & H. Kress' split level department store and round your walk downtown with a milk shake at Newberry's. Or maybe you'd visit Eagle Grocery, the Rexall Drug Store, Don Martin's Men's Wear, Baker Jewelers and then take in a movie at the Aztec Theater.
When you ask Joe Cruz, City of Eagle Pass' newly hired Main Street Project Director, he poses a question, "What does downtown have that makes it special?" He recalled the service you would receive at these stores and others like Don Luis Men's Wear, Sammy's Office Supply, Treviño Music Store and many others that make up the Hey Days of Americana in Eagle Pass in the 50's, 60's and 70's.
Cruz feels there are four integral steps he and his team of his board and various organizational committees to address and achieve the completion of these steps: Organization, Promotion, Design and Economic Restructuring.
As you read this, business owners in downtown Eagle Pass can take advantage of a Main Street 'Face-lift' formatted program.
"There are funds available for any merchant or business owner interested in improving the facade of their building," stated Cruz.
Buildings such as the old Sam Schwartz building that also housed a small theatre in the 1800's and early 1900's. Schwartz' story is very compelling and he was the builder of the Aztec Theater which used to show movies to the 7,000 soldiers stationed at Ft. Duncan.
Cruz recalls the Hotel Eagle and First National Bank on the corner of Ford and Jefferson and you can tell that his enthusiasm and focus on reviving Main St. in a way that Eagle Passans would want to walk downtown once again.
Measures have been taken to advise all business owners to participate in these programs and in this project in order to see it to fruition.
It will ...