DOWNTOWN DRAW

Celtic shop’s comeback a sign of momentum

The reopening of a longtime Texas retailer of Celtic goods in downtown Elgin is the latest sign that the city’s economic development efforts are beginning to deliver, according to officials.

Things Celtic, which specializes in heritage items from Ireland, Scotland and Wales, held its grand reopening at 34 N. Avenue C last month, across from the post office. The store’s return, supported by city grant funding, reflects a broader trend of growth and reinvestment across Elgin’s Main Street district and beyond, according to Elgin Economic Development Corporation Director Kaylee Frye.

“We pride ourselves in this downtown,” Frye said in a recent update. “With the demand we’re seeing, developers and small business owners are looking to Elgin because we’re on the radar now.”

The city has worked for years to modernize its infrastructure in anticipation of growth, Frye said. As a result, Elgin now has the utility capacity needed to support residential and commercial expansion.

“Retail follows rooftops,” Frye said. “We have the infrastructure right now, and that’s why we’re seeing a ton of rapid growth — we have an abundance of water, we have sewer capacity.”

About 30% of Elgin’s growth is happening within city limits, with another 60% evenly split between the Travis County and Bastrop County extraterritorial jurisdictions, according to EDC estimates. However, downtown revitalization remains a focus point in the city’s development strategy, Frye said.

Since becoming a Texas Main Street City in 1990, Elgin has seen more than $33 million in combined public and private investment across its historic 14block district. Now, grant programs offered by the EDC and Main Street Program help fund building improvements, with matching funds of up to $20,000 available for businesses located within city limits.

Things Celtic received $1,000 from the Main Street Program and a $10,000 match from the EDC to assist with building updates. Funds went toward new awnings, pedestrian improvements, painted window frames and code compliance.

Co-owner Nikki Richardson- Rafferty said she didn’t expect to move her business to Elgin, but the city quickly won her over.

“I didn’t choose Elgin — it chose me,” she said. “I got out and started talking to people … all of a sudden, it just felt incredibly right. Once we finally said yes, so many things started falling into place, one after another.”

Richardson-Rafferty said support from both the city and community helped make Elgin feel like the right fit.

“The city’s efforts are exciting. Attracting more businesses willing to participate in revitalization is essential — and we’re those people,” she said. “I think we’re helping bring some of that energy too. We’ve been around for 25 years and have a big following. Now we’re sending folks to other downtown shops.”

According to the business, Things Celtic is drawing shoppers from across Texas and beyond — from San Antonio and Houston to Austin and Oklahoma. Many customers, Richardson-Rafferty added, discover Elgin for the first time through the shop and often visit other nearby businesses during their trip. Frye said businesses like Things Celtic help signal that the city’s downtown strategy is working, and that she hopes to see even more support structures in place for small businesses.

“We want to keep that charm while also growing in a way that makes sense. It’s all about balance — and it’s working,” she said. “One day I’d love to see an incubator space, so small businesses can grow from incubator to accelerator, to maybe moving to our future business park.”