In recent weeks, downtown Sistersville was littered with ‘signs’ of hope as a concerned citizens walked the streets for a cause near and dear to their hearts.

The preservation of historical Sistersville has been the focus of many government and community meetings, the topic of many conversations and the catalyst for the birth of the Tyler Revitalization movement.

Though not everyone in the community whole-heartedly believes the ‘ville can be revived, some have staked their reputation in hopes of breathing new life into the tired town.

The truth of the matter is that little-to-no business exists along the streets of Sistersville as buildings sit empty and the once bright dreams of local entrepreneurs go down the drains. Meanwhile, the businesses that remain in Sistersville are struggling to survive. If we are poised to make an effort to bring Tyler County back to life, we must be committed to the cause by supporting our local businesses no matter what the cost.

That is, after all, what it’s really about…isn’t it?

Ask yourself a few simple questions: Who wants to come to a town no one cares about? Who wants to bring their business to a town where no one shops? Who wants to invest in something that will not see a return.

In the dim present, we are the emptiness; we are a town of vacant, barren, desolation. But there is room for us to grow.

There may be many, many empty buildings on our block of Wells Street alone, but they are all full of potential.

Let’s support our community, the businesses we have in Sistersville and hope for a brighter future.