Paris Main Street Program

Paris-Bourbon County Chamber of Commerce, 525 High Street,
Paris, KY 40361, 859-987-3205 - Main Street Manager -
mainstreetparis@adelphia.net

Downtown News:

Be sure to visit Varden's Specialty Gifts and Emporium   509 Main Street and take time to admire the architectural detail while enjoying a delicious lunch.

If you are shopping for antiques and visit Ardery's Antiques at 627 Main Street be sure to notice the sandwich and dessert shop offered at the newly-renovated fountain.

Nadir Aich and Amy Carpenter's new restaurant, MIGDALIA'S, at 500 Main Street, is nearing completion.  It promises to be a unique and wonderful dining experience!

We have added five new antique shops on Main Street in the last year or so!!!  Paris is becoming a little "mecca" for antique shoppers!  (The Lexington Herald-Leader ran a wonderful article, with several pictures, about Antique Shopping in Paris!!! - Dec. 21, 2005)

Friends of Main Street

Thank you to the wonderful contributors to the Paris Main Street Program: 

Lusk-McFarland Funeral Home            Gold

Hillcroft Farm                                   Gold

CMC/CLA                                         Silver

Blue Grass Federal Savings                 Bronze

Phyllis Robinson                                 Bronze

Carl Samuels                                      Bronze

Lyn Layton                                        Bronze

Sally Hinkle                                      Bronze

Rector-Hayden Realtors                    Bronze

Ted & Betsy Kuster                           Bronze

Mark & Vanessa Medley                    Bronze

Patty Fairbanks                               Supporter

Roger Michael                                  Supporter

Bourbon Family Dentistry                 Friend

Johnson Law Office                          Friend

Anyone is welcome as a Friend of Main Street, at the following levels:

 Diamond  $1,000          Bronze    $100

Gold          $500          Supporter $50

Silver       $250           Friend       $25

Send in your check to the Paris Main Street Program, Chamber of Commerce, 525 High Street, Suite 114, Paris, KY 40361.  Thank you for helping promote Downtown Paris!

Festivals and Events:

Second Saturday Festivals at the Farmer's Market and Main Street are always a lot of fun.  The Farmer's Market, on the corner of 8th and High Streets, provides live entertainment, special booths and activities on the second Saturday of each month in the summer.  Many merchants on Main Street hold sidewalk sales, as well.  (The Second Saturday Festival idea was conceived at a Downtown Committee meeting in 2004.)

October 27 - 28 from 5pm to 9pm:  Haunted Trail of Terror at the Paris/Bourbon County Public Library.  Free admission.  Minors should be accompanied by a parent.

October 28 from 10am to 2pm:  Fear Factor Halloween Party at the Wallis Arboretum  616 Pleasant Street.  Free admission and activities for children.  Come in costume, if you wish.  Sponsored by The Garden Club of Kentucky.

Downtown Trick-or-Treat is 3 to 5 p.m. on Halloween Day, unless Halloween is on Sunday. 

The Paris Christmas Parade is held on the first Saturday in December.  Line-up starts at the Bourbon County High School parking lot and proceeds up Main Street, concluding at the Bourbon County Courthouse.  The theme of the 2006 parade will be "Christmas Offers Hope, Faith and Love."  This is the idea of the 2nd place winner in our 2005 "Name the Parade Theme" writing contest.  Call 859-987-3205 for more information or to register an entry, or click below to download the forms: 
Parade Registration Form and Parade Rules and Regulations.

400 Miles of Antiques, Collectibles, and Stuff happens on Main Street in Paris during the first weekend in June (Thursday through Sunday).  This annual event began in 2004, and runs from Paducah to Maysville on Historic Hwy 68/80.  Visit www.trailsrus.com for more information.

Points of Historical Interest

Bourbon County Courthouse - Completed in 1905, the fourth courthouse to stand on this site.  The inner dome depicts the four seasons of farming in Bourbon County.

Duncan Tavern – 323 High Street- Built in 1788, was host to such noted visitors as Daniel Boone, Simon Kenton, and Michael Stoner.  Now houses the headquarters for the Kentucky Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the John Fox Jr. Genealogical Library.

Paris-Bourbon County Public Library - 701 High St.  Partially funded by Andrew Carnegie, the library was built in 1904.

Wallis Home & Arboretum – 616 Pleasant St.  Home built in 1851 serves as the headquarters of the Garden Clubs of Kentucky.  Includes extensive flower gardens and arboretum.

Hopewell Museum – 800 Pleasant Street.  Built in 1909 as the town’s post office.  Newly renovated museum of history and fine arts. 

Main Street

These are just a few highlights of the historic architecture on Main Street:

Annunciation Church – 1007 Main.   Built pre-Civil War, and expanded in 1869-70.  Completed the new Parish Hall on High Street in 2005.

YMCA - 917 Main Street.  Built ca. 1915, and underwent major renovations and additions in 2002-2003.

Edward Shinners Building – 731 Main.  Ca. 1891, noted in Ripley’s Believe It Or Not as the tallest three-story building in the U.S.

Thomas F. Brannon Saloon – 602 Main.  Built in 1888.  Had been a toy store and millinery shop in 1890, then the saloon, and later home to the Bourbon Home Telephone Company Exchange, est. 1902.

Hinton Block - 530 Main Street.  Built in 1891, this is the largest 19th century commercial building in downtown Paris.

Odd Fellows Hall – 500 Main.  Built in 1854-55, it served as a hospital during the Civil War.  (Soon to be Migdalia's restaurant)

DOWNTOWN SHOP HOP  -  A DOWNTOWN RETAIL & SERVICE GUIDE

Bourbon Antiques, 127 Main Street - 987-6700

Antiques and Stuff, 224 Main Street - 987-9248

AdGraphics, 318 Main Street – 987-8700

Loch Lea Antiques, 410 Main Street – 987-7070

Bluegrass Billiards – Restaurant, 414 Main Street – 987-9985

Altavista Mexican Grocery, 419 Main Street - 987-3349

Paris Antique Mall, 420 Main Street - 987-9922

Frey's Antiques  432 Main Street  987-0660

Paris Artworks, 436 Main Street – 987-4ART

Migdalia's Restaurant, 500 Main Street - 987-0855 (Opening Spring, 2006)

Varden’s –  509 Main Street – 987-4700

Campbell’s Restaurant, 519 Main Street – 987-5164

Consignor’s Gallery-Furniture, 530A Main Street – 420-2905

Curves for Women, 530 Main Street – 988-0099

A New Leaf Florist & Gifts, 531 Main Street – 978-4958

Thoroughbred Antique Mall, 600 Main Street - 351-8755

Hornes of the Bluegrass, 610 Main Street – 988-9977

La Esperanza – Mexican, 611 Main Street – 987-6636

Paris Fashions, 617 Main Street – 987-2578

Frames On Main Gallery, 618 Main Street – 987-0172

Movieland Video, 619 Main Street – 987-7483

Holli’s Housewarming & HHG Photography, 623 Main Street – 987-6435

Discoveries Antiques, 624 Main Street – 859-225-8918

Ardery Antiques, 627 Main Street – 987-8180

Hornes Ardery Drug Store, 630 Main Street – 987-4181

Rabon & Beatty TV & Appliances, 701 Main Street – 987-4690

Indigo Fashions, 707 Main Street – 988-6797

The Cue – Restaurant, 713 Main Street – 987-8581

Dan's Antiques, 714 Main Street - 987-9774

Cheers Gymnastics, 716 Main Street - 988-9526

Lane's Antiques & Collectibles, 718 Main Street – 987-8425

Bear Necessities – Consignment Shop, 722 Main Street – 987-7627

Rabon’s Furniture, 723 Main Street – 987-4636

730 Main – Restaurant, 730 Main Street – 987-6180

Paradise Café – Oriental Cuisine, 731 Main Street – 987-8383

Blandon M. Cherry Antiques, 807 Main Street - 859-338-9943

Riley’s Goodyear Tires, 813 Main Street – 987-5213

Shriver’s Laundry & Dry Cleaning, 920 Main Street – 987-3573

Graham’s Antiques, 108 E. 4^th Street – 987-5566

Ric & Dan’s Refinishing, 108 E 4^th Street – 987-5566

Thyme & Again Catering, 115 E. 4^th Street – 988-0222

Buck's Books, 153 E. 7th Street - 987-3417

Bourbon Steam Laundry/Dry Cleaning, 147 W. 7^th Street – 987-4445

Bargain Bungalow - Consignment, 721 High Street – 987-5646

T & R Fashions, 111 W. 8th Street

Multimile Tire & Auto, 138 W. 8^th Street – 987-4530

Van Horn's of Paris, corner of 8th & High

Farmer’s Market –Meats/Produce/Crafts, Corner 8^th & High – 987-6614

Downtown Hair Care

Hair Expressions, 338 Main Street – 987-6813

Akemon’s Barber Shop, 601 Main Street – 987-3875

Pauline’s Hair Design, 608 Main Street – 987-3372

Carousel Salon, 608 Main Street – 987-4517

Jerome’s Barber Shop, 615 Main Street – 987-8679

Magic Mirror Salon, 617 Main Street – 987-5563

Fantasy Hair Design, 703 Main Street – 987-4648

Eclips Hair Design, 706 Main Street – 988-0566

Indigo Fashions, 707 Main Street – 988-6797

Carol's Shear Excitement, 15 E. 6^th Street – 987-1346

Linda’s Beauty Salon, 15 E. 6^th Street – 987-5400

Hair by Christie, 23 W. 7^th Street – 987-5403

Edie’s Beauty Shop, 111 W. 8^th Street – 987-1901

Reflections Hair & Tanning Salon, 111 W. 8^th Street – 987-1765

Uptown Salon, 425 Main Street - 987-7973

Renaissance on Main - A Downtown Revitalization Project

In recent years, the Kentucky Main Street Program and Renaissance Kentucky helped Paris to make many improvements to its downtown area, including brick-lined sidewalks, antique-looking light poles, decorative planters and benches, awnings, and facade updates.

The Renaissance/Main Street Program is now called Renaissance on Main, and is administered through the Governor's Office for Local Development (GOLD).  Renaissance on Main seeks to reward communities that take steps to revitalize and maintain vibrant, economically sound development in Kentucky's downtown areas.  

Paris was previously designated as a "Silver City," and as such was eligible to apply for certain grants.  Under the new regime, Paris is now considered a Certified Renaissance City and is eligible to apply for certain grants.

The four point approach of the Main Street Program:

1.  Organization - The Main Street Manager (a part-time position for a city the size of Paris) must nurture a public-private partnership including city government, a board of directors, downtown merchants and landlords, the Chamber of Commerce, and volunteers.  There must be a Plan of Work with measurable goals, including fundraising efforts.

2.  Economic Restructuring - Includes a market analysis, business retention and recruitment efforts, local workshops and training sessions, and a marketing package.

3.  Design - Includes a local building inventory, design guidelines, statistics on rehabilitations, improvements, new housing units, etc.

4.  Promotion - Local brochures, festivals and events, newsletters and press releases, and web site development.

For more information, visit this website: http://www.gold.ky.gov/renmain/

Downtown Properties

Contact a local realtor listed in the Real Estate section of this web site for information on Downtown Properties.