RACINE — Four new businesses are opening their doors in downtown Racine, filling storefronts and bringing a wave of new energy to the district.
Downtown Racine Corporation celebrated the openings with ribbon-cuttings on Friday.
"Racine is just taking off, and downtown is going to be thriving even more," said Analisa Garcia, who is opening Ambitious Vibes Candle Bar at 232 Main St.
It's a space to make your own candles, but for Garcia it's also an opportunity to remind residents unique experiences are available in Racine.
"That was part of my whole mission, which is to bring more things to do to downtown Racine," Garcia said.
Watch: Owners hope to boost creativity and community as downtown Racine celebrates four new businesses
Veronica Carver is opening Vero's Tea Room at 209 Sixth St. this month, after a fire in 2024 shut down her initial restaurant next door.
"Coming back downtown and engaging my neighbors, it's been a wonderful experience," she said. "Very supportive."
She says the new space is another opportunity to serve her neighbors.
"My focus is always to create that third space for people," Carver said.
And to rejoin the culinary scene on Sixth Street.
"There's so many restaurants on Sixth Street alone that you can get to experience the whole world," she said.
Just down the street, Bianca Jimenez is opening J's on the Go — a space for coffee, fresh food, and gathering at 312 Sixth St.— building on her family's entrepreneurial legacy.
"There are so many things I would like to see in my own hometown, so I'm going to try to build and do what I can with my own space here," Jimenez said.
Her parents used to own Supermercado Jimenez on 16th Street. But now it's her turn, and she's choosing to be a part of the downtown community.
"We're all trying to really make a difference downtown," Jimenez said.
Then there's T-Birds, owned by Ollie Banks at 619 Wisconsin Ave.
"We offer something unique. Smoked turkey wings, not fried, not chicken," Banks said.
He says he found the location after a long search.
"This little gem, it spoke to me," Banks said.
Banks says he's glad to join a downtown he sees transforming.
"Not too long ago, there were lots of for-lease signs up and down almost every block. But those are slowly going away," Banks said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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