MP residents save a lot of green, enjoy free beer walk

By Karyn Spory, Mt. Pleasant News

Barley an hour into the third annual Saving of the Green Beer Walk in Mt. Pleasant and staff members at Team Staffing Solutions were walking through their business? door with several more cases of beer.

The company had been serving jello shots and drunken cupcakes, courtesy of Mystic Cupcakes, but they were nearly out. ?I?m not a fan of beer so we thought we?d do something different,? said Blake Radel, general manager of Team Staffing Solutions Inc. ?It seems to be pretty popular.?

Radel said her company, which is located in the Professional Building at 114 E. Main Street, is sometimes overlooked as being part of the downtown area. ?We?re downtown, but we?re not on the square. We want to be more involved (in events like the beer walk) and get more people in our doors,? she said.

?Who knows, maybe we?ll be known as the jello shot place,? she added with a laugh.

If Main Street Director Lisa Oetken had anything to do with it, they would be. Oetken sat in the Chamber Alliance office, the first stop on the beer walk, handing out maps and beer mugs/chalices.

As a young 20-something walked into the Chamber office, Oetken handed her a map and pointed out the Professional Building. ?And Team Staffing Solutions has jello shots,? she exclaimed.

?This is huge,? Oetken said of the event turnout. ?It?s bigger than the last two years. We?ve had a lot of new faces that I haven?t seen in the downtown area.?

Oetken said events like the beer walk hinge on the weather, thankfully Thursday night Mt. Pleasantt saw temperatures in the mid 50s with clear, blue skies and only a light breeze.

Dakotah Mullenix, of New London, said the nice weather was one reason she wanted to come out to the event. ?It?s beautiful out,? she said. ?I?m so ready for summer.?

Mullenix was sipping on a sample of Leinenkugel?s Summer Shandy. ?I don?t even really like beer, but a friend invited us and it?s something fun to do.?

Juanita Savely, of Mt. Pleasant, was also enjoying the beer walk with friends. ?It?s a beautiful night out and it?s fun to walk around town and see everyone,? she said.

Savely and her crew began their excursion at the Professional Building. ?This is just a fun event,? she said adding this was the first time she had been on the beer walk, but in the past she has really enjoyed Main Street?s Wine About Winter and Holiday Stroll events. Savely and her friends were only on their third stop of the night. In total, 16 businesses participated in the event.

Savely?s friend, Miranda Coleman, owner of Crossroads Appraisal Services, said events like the beer walk are great at bringing the community together. ?It?s a great way to see everyone that you don?t see downtown on a normal business day.?

Ana Acosta, of Columbus Junction, had just gotten off work at West Liberty Foods and decided to go out with a couple of co-workers. ?I heard about (the event) and told my co-workers we were going,? she said. ?It?s Thirsty Thursday, it?s a great day for a beer walk.?

Acosta was enjoying a Leinenkugel?s orange shandy at Brown?s Shoe Fit Co. ?I?m absolutely having a good time. I can?t wait for next year,? she said as she approached Tara Mullin for another sample.

Mullin said she?s happy that the retailer she works for takes part in events like the beer walk. ?It?s a fun networking event and it gets people into the store to see the selection we have.?

Oetken said that?s precisely the reason Main Street puts on these types of events. ?This is a great way to get people into the businesses and that?s why we do it.?