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At first, we didn’t put the small pieces of the puzzle together and realize what was happening. I did remember the excitement at Common Ground last year when they packed up shop in their basement on Wright Street, getting ready to relocate closer to downtown Urbana. I recall walking past Furniture Lounge during their last day in Champaign a couple months ago, worried that they were boarding up shop permanently but relieved to find out they were just combining with their Urbana location.

And throughout the past few months, buzz has been to Fleurish, the new flower shop on Race Street, Madeline’s Confectionary Arts Gallery/Sugar Arts Studio on Main and the new coffee shop Morning Cup and More also on Race, reporting on the exciting new businesses.

But we didn’t initially notice that the town was undergoing some dramatic changes. What’s going on? buzz used to have a difficult time finding story ideas in downtown Urbana. Now we can’t keep ourselves out of the area. The streets used to be quiet and calm; now it’s easy to notice some hustle and bustle.

It’s a different kind of growth, though, from what we’ve experienced around Champaign. It’s not growing upward with chain businesses and 20-story-tall apartment complexes like Green Street has over the years. No one has to worry about the small-town charm being interrupted by Walgreens signs and massive parking garages. Instead, the streets of downtown Urbana have been lined with unique shops and restaurants owned and managed by real people who call this place home.

To find out more about what’s been happening in downtown Urbana, buzz’s community editor talked to Susan Toalson, the executive director of the Urbana Business Association, along with a handful of local business owners. Take a look at our feature story on page 10, and take some time to get familiar with the shops down there as soon as you can.