Robert Herjavec
By Tim Arnett
WABASH,Indiana – Downtown Wabash officially welcomed Shark Tank’s Robert Herjavec and the entire team from the Deluxe Corporation Friday afternoon and then set an attendance record at June’s First Friday event. The day’s celebrations began at 4:30 at the historic Eagles Theatre where Steve Downs, Executive Director of Wabash Marketplace, Inc., recounted the story of how Wabash was behind in the voting and pulled out a win before introducing Herjavec and Deluxe’s Amanda Brinkman on to the stage to a standing ovation.
Herjavec, who just arrived in Wabash for the first time on Thursday, had already spent the day shooting video around town with Brinkman for the upcoming web-series that will help selected Wabash businesses.
Downs, Herjavec and Brinkman
During his comments, Herjavec told the audience that they already have everything in town they need to be successful. He also noted that Deluxe will not change what Wabash’s businesses have, they’ll just amplify it. Herjavec talked to MiBash News after the event at the Eagles and gave hints on what he will do for the city of Wabash.
A video crew followed Herjavec and Brinkman as they made their way into the large crowds that had already formed by 5 pm for June’s First Friday. With the Peru Amateur Circus and the Shakespearean troop from Marion called Hoosier Shakes, South Miami Street had a carnival-like atmosphere.
Members of the Peru Amateur Circus perform
Add to it numerous food trucks, paint the plow, several musical performances on the street and special deals put on by the downtown shops,Visit Wabash County’s Christine Flohr says that Friday night’s First Friday event was probably the biggest one the city has ever seen.
Project Manager for Wabash Marketplace, Shelby McLaughlin, said that local merchants did extremely well Friday night.
In terms of numbers, Flohr said that June’s First Friday was even bigger than the numbers the city draws for November’s Holiday Night To Remember. Trolley No. 85 was on the move and also set a record for 216 riders. Even after 8 pm, the sidewalks on Market and Canal were still packed with attendees of June’s First Friday.
A closed-off South Miami Street was packed from late afternoon until well after 8 pm