Samantha Armbruster began her new position as the San Marcos Main Street Program manager June 3, following in the footsteps of Kelly Franks, who retired in late June after holding the position for 25 years.

In 1986, the city of San Marcos officially joined the Main Street movement, a program by the National Trust for Historic Preservation that focuses on community revitalization. Since obtaining its membership, San Marcos' Main Street Program has worked to maintain the look and feel of downtown through efforts such as helping to create the city's annual Sights and Sounds of Christmas event. The program also hosts the Texas Natural and Western Swing Festival on the courthouse square.

What inspired you to join the Main Street Program in San Marcos?

I worked for tourism bureaus when I was in California and just fell in love with the work. One of my favorite things to do is promote and talk about the things that I love. I'm from San Marcos, so this is my hometown. I spent most of my childhood downtown because my mom worked here, and it is where my friends and I would hang out. When I came back to town in 2011, I looked for something similar that I could use my skills and experience to help the community. I found Main Street, and I thought that would be my dream job if I could ever get it. I never thought that there would be an opportunity, since Kelly had been here for 25 years. When I heard that she was announcing her retirement, I just put my heels in and went for it 110 percent.

As a San Marcos native, what do you see in the downtown area that those who aren't originally from here might not?

I think the stories of downtown San Marcos are lost on not only people that visit here, but also people that are from here. One of the first things that I did coming into this job was reviving the tradition of The Great Old Bell that hangs out in front of the courthouse. Hundreds of people pass that bell every day, but when I talk to people about reviving the tradition [of ringing the bell to signal the end of the work day], nobody knows what that is. There are tokens around the downtown that tell a story, but you really have to do a little research to figure out what they mean, like The Great Old Bell. There are so many amazing stories from our downtown, both historical and from our businesses. We're so lucky to have business owners in downtown that have been here forever, like San Marcos realtor and businessman Lupe Carbajal, who have some really great stories to tell. I think that telling those stories not only attracts people but also makes them feel more of a connection to their hometown and to the heart of our town, which I believe is our downtown.

What vision do you have for the future of the Main Street Program in San Marcos?

My vision for Main Street is that it acts, physically and program-wise, like our downtown. It is vibrant, bustling, active, innovative and accessible. When someone comes into this office, they feel the energy that's happening with the program and downtown, and they can get really excited. Everyone gets frustrated to drive around and see the construction, but I want this to be the ball that shows the future. So to see the end result, to see how beautiful our downtown is going to be and the businesses that are going to be coming to downtown, it is just exciting. My vision is that everything with this program will be exciting.

What kinds of duties are associated with being the Main Street program manager in San Marcos?

The program manager is not only the hub for all downtown business owners, but we are also the liaison between the city and development services in downtown. So when there is new development coming in, we can be the go-between to make sure that [development] is communicated, and hopefully give ideas if we see something that maybe doesn't look right. [I also work] with the San Marcos Convention and Visitor Bureau, because they do so much outreach outside of town to San Marcos. We also hope to build a closer relationship with the Greater San Marcos Partnership so we can communicate, again, what we have to offer in downtown.

How do you plan on preserving downtown and keeping places like the Square and surrounding downtown areas alive and well?

Oh, the potential is huge. What is that song, "We've Only Just Begun"? That's basically what we're looking at here. We have a great on-the-Square experience. Off the Square, we have a lot of room for improvement, development and growth. There have been some things that have been done, like our SmartCode overlay [for building and architectural standards]. It allows for businesses and buildings to come in while maintaining a high quality of development. Also, we want more residences downtown, because with the trends for urban living, people want to live in a walkable environment. We are close to the I-35 corridor, so we have that for commuters to take advantage of. And, hopefully, with more retail and restaurants, we are going to grow and grow well. I think if you look today, it's good. In a couple years it's going to be great.

What are you most excited about achieving as the new Main Street project manager?

I really love working in teams. I have been involved in team sports, and I was a captain for most of those years. I love getting people together, working together and finding cohesion. I really, truly look forward to creating that with our downtown, with the businesses, the volunteers and city officials. That to me is the most exciting thing because if I was sitting in a cube in the corner doing the same job, I would not be as thrilled as I am.

What was downtown San Marcos like when you were growing up, and how has it changed?

It was a little different [than today], but in a lot of ways it is the same. We would hang out, go to the river, go eat a Salvation [Sandwich] at Alvin Ord's when we got hungry. When Lamar Middle School was [open]—I went to Lamar—we would go downtown, and we'd go to the snow cone stand. It was really a great thing to come downtown and get a snow cone and go to the arcade. And then, you know, as we got older, we would transition from the arcade to the coffee shop. We would hang out downtown and just walk around and put on our best dresses for nighttime, just to dress up for each other. One of my first jobs was working at the cafe—it was Cafe De Corte, now Cafe on the Square. Downtown really suited me from 9 years old until I graduated, and even beyond. I just grew up with downtown in different spots.

Some people say they don't want the Square to turn into another Sixth Street. What is the right balance for nightlife and other businesses downtown?

I don't know if I have the answer for what the right balance is, but I will say that I think it is great that we have entertainment options. A lot of people say that it is geared toward the university students, and I can understand that, but I also think that it is good that we have those options. If we didn't have the university, maybe we wouldn't have as many entertainment options as we do. I do think that we have a lot more room for restaurants and retail. With more options in the retail and restaurant area, it wouldn't seem as though it's aimed more toward bars like it is right now.