With a love for blown glass creations and cool tunes, a group of Memphis businessmen decided earlier this year to open a first-of-its-kind glass art gallery and music café.

When it came time to decide where the gallery should be, it was a no-brainer. Glasshouse 383 opened in the city’s designated historic arts district on South Main in September.

Since a downtown renaissance began in the early 1990s, South Main has slowly achieved a critical mass of galleries and eclectic shops. And as residential and retail numbers improve, South Main now has the power to draw such unique investments as a matter of course.

A recent report commissioned by downtown advocacy group the Center City Commission said the downtown population has grown 4.3% from 2000 to 2004. This is compared to 1.1 % growth for the entire Memphis MSA for the same time. And with $245 million in 2003, the downtown area’s retail sales have averaged 5.1% growth every year since 1998, compared to 2.2% for the same period in Shelby County.

But operating a business on South Main is never a sure thing, even during the seemingly positive climate. Several South Main stalwarts—a unique clothing store and a deli—closed recently. That worried Lisa Doss, the owner of one-year-old clothing store Muse.

“This area is still struggling, it’s still up and coming” for small businesses like hers, she says.

Muse, however, fared well its first year, beating its sales goals by 10%. Much of that success stems from Doss’ own connections as a fundraiser and part-time boutique salesperson. On Doss’ opening night, she had 350 people—and she knew every one.

But knowing people doesn’t always translate to sales. Doss and others say succeeding with retail on South Main takes creativity. To get people in her door, Doss holds occasional special events—open houses, women’s nights, men’s nights, sidewalk sales or being a part of the district’s monthly “trolley tour.”

The trolley tour is the single best marketing tool for South Main, merchants say. It’s held the last Friday of every month and draws 1,000 to 3,000 people. During the night, all galleries and shops are open, and it’s a festive atmosphere with wine and music flowing.

Four years ago, art gallery owner Jay Etkin and others organized the monthly event to get bodies on the street.

“You can’t run a retail business here that is dependent on walk-in traffic,” Etkin says of why the trolley tour is so important. “You have to get past the idea that everything relies on the retail concept. In a sense, you have to be entertainment.”

Etkin himself allows patrons to rent his gallery for events and hosts many fundraisers and community events there. Trolley nights have been good to him as well, as a few have netted him sales from $8,000 to $12,000.

The strong residential and retail sales numbers South Main can boast about may draw even more merchants and shoppers. Likewise, the $250 million FedEx Forum is a boost to all of downtown. Also, developers are working to bring The Visible School—a 125-student live-in Christian music college—to the street. All students and teachers would live, work and go to class right on South Main.

“How far away are we from a bustling community here? That’s hard to answer,” says Dan Robinson, co-owner of Glasshouse 383. “But the Forum and other developments are all part of the equation. It is happening, and this business is glad to be a part of it.”

One developer quoted Hebrews 11:1—a New Testament definition of the word “faith”—to define the mood of business owners on South Main.

“These shops are not quite making it yet, but they have a lot of faith,” says developer Gary Garland. “They know that business is coming and that this will be an outstanding area.”