Christine Manes and her family run The Green House Market, a business that’s currently in a state of flux. For two years the shop has sold a variety of organic, natural or locally produced goods at the corner of Mound Street and Gravois Road in Olde Towne Fenton. But this winter Manes felt the need to shutter her brick and mortar shop and turned to the internet to sell her goods.

“There’s been a steady flow of business,” Manes said. Her regular customers still call in orders for delivery and she said they’re doing well with the sale of custom gift baskets.

Part of the reason for closing the Market were family related and part was the building itself. Manes said the old building needs repairs and she’s been negotiating with the landlord to see what can be fixed. But the biggest hurdle the Market faced was a complete lack of foot traffic. When the Old Gravois Road Bridge was shut down, Olde Towne became a ghost town.

The Old Gravois Road Bridge was the only surface street bridge over the Meramec River. Today, if drivers need to cross the river they must use a highway bridge, either Hwy 30 or I-44, and detour the heart of Fenton.

Manes said that when she opened the Green House Market in 2010 she was told the bridge would be finished the following year. Now city officials say the bridge won’t be finished until this summer. The 90 year-old bridge was shut down in 2007 over safety concerns shortly after the collapse of a bridge in Minneapolis. According to a report from Fox 2, the bridge carried an average of 10,000 cars a day—traffic that would have passed right by the Green House Market.

But the lack of a bridge isn’t Olde Towne’s only problem. The historic core of Fenton—centered around blocks mapped out in 1818--is difficult to navigate because of one-way streets, which Manes feels are unwarranted. She believes the area could use beautification, better signage and more marketing.

Instead of just moving her business to a better traveled part of town, Manes decided to do whatever she can to fix Old Towne.

“We want to stay in Olde Towne. We have to put our energy into making it better,” said Manes.

Several business owners have joined Manes to form a community group to breathe life back into Olde Towne. Olde Towne is defined by the area west of the Meramec River, south of Hwy. 30, east of Hwy. 141 and north of the Gravois Bluffs shopping plaza.

Besides the historic area, Old Towne includes Fenton Plaza, where Aldi’s, Viviano’s and Advance Auto Parts are located, as well as businesses like Gold’s Gym and Swing-A-Round Fun Town. Pfitzinger Graphics is the northern most business near the river, while Andre’s West Banquet Hall and Fenton Self Storage are the southern most businesses.

Manes said the group has only been meeting for two months, but already they have 50 of the 120 Olde Towne businesses on board. The group hasn’t decided on a name for itself yet, but they have partnered with the Fenton Chamber of Commerce to avoid the need to establish themselves as a separate, non-profit organization. The group operates as a branch of chamber, so those wishing to join need to be members of the larger organization.

The group has its first fund raiser scheduled for February 11 when they’ll host a trivia night at Andre’s West Banquet Hall. Tickets are $25 a person, and all the profits will go to the Olde Towne improvement fund. So far, they’ve sold 230 tickets.

Manes said the group will need to partner with the city to get certain things done, while remaining independent so members feel free to say what’s on their mind. She said they can start a website and marketing campaign without the city’s involvement, but would need to work with the city on beautification projects.

She said that while many businesses have joined the group, some veterans of Olde Towne remain skeptical that they can accomplish much.

“We have to make a big impact. We have to make them say, Wow, this association is really doing something for us,” she said.

As for the Green House Market, Manes said they’ll be back in town by March, though she can’t confirm exactly where. She said they are looking into branching out by participating in area farmer’s markets and plan to add more product to their lineup. She asks that fans of the Market follow them on Facebook to stay up to date on their progress and to hear news on the Old Towne Fenton association.