BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — Outside seating in downtown Bowling Green is giving businesses a bigger chance for growth.
Folks say they're eager to be outside, whether it be for dining or taking in a dose of vitamin D.
This is where added parklets in Bowling Green are fulfilling those needs.
"As soon as it gets a little bit nice, we Ohioans like to get out," said Brenna Ferrell, who is a Bowling Green native.
"Just a wonderful day to be outside," Abhishek Bhati, who is a Bowling Green resident, said.
The sun is finally out and people who live and visit Bowling Green are ready to be outside to enjoy it.
"In our area, greater Toledo area, let's be real. We don't get that much sunshine all that often," said Ben Vollmar, who is the Executive Leader at Flatlands Coffee on North Main Street.
It's left a lot of growing interest in the downtown parklets going up to expand outside seating for businesses.
"Here in year two, one we got a huge generous gift from T-Mobile through their hometown grant program that was really able to really allow us to scale the project up. We also had more than twice, three times businesses reach out to us to express interest," said Dennis, who is a member of the Parklets Team.
SamB's and Flatlands Coffee are two of those businesses where two new parklets were installed Tuesday.
Ben Vollmar, the executive leader at Flatlands, is thrilled about what it offers to his customers.
"These parklets highlight the most competitive advantage and unique thing that Bowling Green has to offer, and that's our community. So I love that it's a change. We're moving forward and we're leaning into our core strengths and really putting that on the forefront," said Vollmar.
They believe it's bringing more opportunities for the business and the community as a whole.
"Adds more dining space for restaurants, and a lot of our stores' fronts are smaller. They're kind of shotgunned tight buildings," said Ferrell.
"Another thing about BG is it's such a walkable town," Bhati said. "And it just makes it so natural. Sometimes I'm walking my dog and it's just hot and I want to take a beer or get my dog here sitting outside."
And with more people out downtown, they say it adds to the vibrancy of their city, even if it is for just a few months out of the year.
The two new parklets make it five altogether.
Dennis says they plan to announce two more later this week.