When a fellow business owner, Steve Shinn, suggested she expand into downtown Springfield, Erin Gilfillan told him he was crazy.

Gilfillan, owner of the Friendly Street Market, a small south Eugene grocer selling natural and organic produce, food and other products, had thoughts about expansion. Springfield wasn’t on her radar.

Until it was. The idea became less far-fetched as Gilfillan spent some time scouting out the location and the space — which the Econo Sales carpet store vacated in 2017 — between The Washburne Cafe and Shinn’s pizzeria, Bartolotti's, on Main Street.

"I was really impressed about what’s happening down there," said Gilfillan, who bought the south Eugene market about six years ago. "It blew me away."

A month ago, Gilfillan opened Main Street Market on a block that has been the most visible sign of downtown Springfield’s accelerating revitalization.

Business is indeed booming downtown, once an area filled with strip clubs and seedy bars that residents and visitors avoided. City officials shut them down, opened a municipal jail in the area and made public investments to attract businesses.

The strategy appears to be paying off in spades. Nearly two dozen businesses opened in downtown last year, and three, including Gilfillan’s market, have opened through May, according to the city.

“There’s a tremendous amount of energy in downtown Springfield thanks to the businesses here, and it’s awesome,” city spokesperson Amber Fossen said.

Glenn Myers, owner of the Trash-n-Treasures “mantique” store that turns 10 years ago this year, has noticed the change.

Shortly before opening, Myers recalled how he and a carpenter watched two prostitutes rush out of next-door bar, now closed, and head toward a man getting money from an ATM machine. Another time he witnessed a drug deal through his store’s front window.

That element is long gone, he said.

“It’s become more family friendly in the last 10 years by leaps and bounds,” Myers said.

Today, Myers’ business concerns have shifted from crime to available parking, which he said is increasingly squeezed.

“Any place that is growing is going to have it,” he said.

Myers also laments that the new business mix skews heavily toward food and drink, but overall he’s seen more foot traffic to his store and is happy with the progress.

“People are noticing, and they’re coming down here,” he said.

Andrea Wolf, owner of Remember the Moon Boutique, located near the new market, said she’s observed several business open or settle in since she opened her doors less than a year ago.

Wolf said she’s wanted to open along the block for years but vacant spots keep filling up.

She said the location is near her house and, visiting numerous times, saw the area’s “potential to be its own cute little destination spot in Springfield, and I didn’t want to miss being part of it.”

“I think it will just continue to grow,” she said.

Gilfillan said she also saw the potential for her market as the space with the high ceilings and old-time feel offered her a blank canvas. She added doors that open up the storefront to the sidewalk and allow employees to put produce outside. She said she spent about $400,000 on construction and inventory.

“It’s been my dream look for a grocery,” she said.

The Springfield location doesn’t have a small restaurant, "Party on Friendly," like her Eugene spot on Friendly Street between West 27th and 28th avenues. Instead employees use the extra space at the Main Street store as a work area to pack and unpack goods sold at both stores.

The two stores employ about 30 people.

As with her first store, however, Gilfillan said she wants the Main Street location to be a place where people can meet up and shoot the breeze.

So far, the response has been good and the store now has several regulars, Gilfillan said.

“People seem to be incredibly responsive to having a nice walkable market,” she said.

One of the new regulars is Rachael McKenna, who moved from Portland into an apartment above the market in September.

McKenna, who helps run the workshop at the University of Oregon’s College of Design, said she stops at the market daily to pick up meals or fresh produce. On Tuesday, she grabbed some ice cream sandwiches.

McKenna said she found the apartment on Craigslist and liked it for its proximity to the university and local parks as well as the vibrancy that has taken hold.

“It feels like it’s up and coming,” she said. “It’s getting really cool."

Follow Christian Hill on Twitter @RGchill. Email christian.hill@registerguard.com.