Downtown merchants to be open Thursday evenings

GAINESVILLE - An even more vibrant downtown Gainesville is the goal of something starting next week.

Building on the success of Downtown by Candlelight during the Christmas season, most downtown retailers will be open until 8:00 each fourth Thursday evening.

Main Street Gainesville's Joe Burnett plans are to try Fourth Thursdays for at least a year.

"We will be evaluating it all along," he said.

Burnett says ten retailers have committed to the program as have three restaurants (in addition to the nine restaurants that are already open at night).