Business is picking up in downtown McDonough.

  The buildings surrounding the Square are filled with activity and, for some business owners and local residents, the time has never been better to eat, shop and just enjoy yourself in the iconic center of the county seat.

  The new is mixing with the old – well, sort of old – as brand-new storefronts have come online in recent weeks with more in the weeks ahead, while other businesses are prospering after more than a decade within walking distance of the courthouse.

  Last month marked the 11th anniversary of Kirby G’s, and that date is significant not just because of longevity but also because the nationwide economic meltdown began almost immediately after the doors opened. “It took a long time to recover,” remarked owner Neil Daniell.

  But in the last five years he has noticed a turnaround. While his restaurant has made a name nationally and now sees regular customers from all over the state, there is also a noticeable boost from other merchants that are drawing their own customers, as all of these businesses benefit from each other’s presence.

  “We’re actually helping each other,” said Daniell. “The more we have the better it is; [the area] becomes more of a destination.”

  That notion is seconded by Stephanie Gordon, whose Story on the Square is in a newly purchased and renovated space on the Square’s southwest corner. The independent bookstore is open seven days a week, later than most if not all other merchants on the square, and also has event space for everything from book clubs and author events to private parties.

  “The foot traffic is definitely improving because of more businesses being open here,” she said. “We’re also seeing a lot of people just hanging out and enjoying the outdoor space.”

  Gordon said that there are more than one thousand free parking spaces without two blocks of the Square, so distance and traffic are not serious obstacles for people who want a good walkable area for shopping and dining. Many local residents have an ongoing image of inaccessibility and bad traffic (and the traffic still isn’t great at times), but many people who stay away from the Square actually walk farther when they park in the outer recesses of a big-box store’s parking lot, she said.

  Katy Bell opened Macon Street Tacos on the opposite side of the Square last August, where she said the view out her front door to the west offers “beautiful sunsets.” She never considered any other location for her eatery, which is also open seven days a week and well into the evening.

  “It might have been less expensive in a strip shopping center, but that never appealed to me,” said Bell, who grew up in a small town in Colorado where her father ran a restaurant. She signed her lease right after completing her college education, and the response on the Square since she opened has thrilled her.

  “The community has been so supportive,” she said. “Word of mouth has been very positive. People have stumbled across us and are happy we are here.”

  Bell attended the recent ribbon cutting for the We Are Henry Creative Group, which is now in the former Ward Drug location, and she said the overall positive atmosphere reaffirmed her decision to locate downtown.

  Michie Turpin, publisher of We Are Henry magazine, wanted a presence on the Square and joined with some of his creative collaborations to form a co-working space.

  “It just makes sense for the community magazine to be on the Square in the county seat,” said Turpin, who has been in the new space since January. “I was talking to a friend and he said, ‘It’s like the start of the good old days.’”

  One of the next new openings will be Scoops, an ice cream shop set to open May 8. According to Alicia Tucker, the general manager whose parents own the store, potential customers have indicated that they are ready.

  “We still have the windows taped up, but we can’t prop the door open without people coming in to see what we are doing,” she said. “We’ve hired most of our staff already and they are ready to go.”

  Brad and Lisa Tucker got the idea for the store, one of five Scoops locations, when they saw the brisk business at the Covington location, also on the Square. They never considered opening elsewhere.

  “It’s nice out here,” said Alicia Tucker. “It’s a neat little community and it’s our home town.”

  Daniell, who welcomes all of the new activity surrounding Kirby G’s, said the one piece of advice he would give is to not expect instant success. “It takes a good three years before you understand what you’re doing and the people understand that you’re there,” he said.

  But everyone agrees that the timing is right.   “There is so much enthusiasm on the Square right now,” said Bell. “It’s so exciting to be a part of it.”