Guest Post by Darin, Owner of Boccata Deli

This post was made by Darin, owner of Boccata Deli on Tower Avenue in response to the “Village” concept post earlier this month - I thought it deserved front page coverage.   

 When I think of the tag “Village” as it relates to a destination for tourism and entertainment I am reminded of many of the places I have visited which embody the “Village” theme. For instance in Washington places such as; Leavenworth, Winthrop, Camlann, and Gillman come to mind. One of the things I have noticed and felt about these places with the “Village” theme, is just that - it’s a theme. Many of these places are out-of-the-way hamlets that have reinvented themselves to draw tourists and boost their economies. The true villages I have visited are mostly still small towns, often with struggling economies and limited resources, in need of a rebuilding process.

Centralia is going through many changes right now. We are not experiencing a reinvention process but rather a rebuilding process reminiscent of the rebuliding processes surrounding the turn of the 19th to 20th century. The “Boomtown” effect is once again returning us to the status of the “Hub City”.