Saving Downtown Blountstown, Inc.

08/01/2026

It is almost time! Next Saturday, August 8, Saving Downtown Blountstown is hosting a dance with Cliff Ellis and the River Swampers. The band is made up of A. J. Thompson, Kirk Thompson, Jesse Roberts, and Joe Retherford. Their sound is GREAT!

Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased at thecommercebuilding.org.

During the evening, we will be sponsoring a silent auction. There will be gift baskets, gift cards, and cakes by Yolanda Gibbs Pittman, Dresa Barfield's chocolate laye cake, Howard Johnson, Jr.'s famous old-fashioned pound cake, Mary Lou Holley's hummingbird cake, Bill Gaskin's chocolate pound cake, and Sharon Leonard-McCrone's bourbon pecan cake. Also up for auction will be a weekend use of a beach house at Bid-A-Wee Beach at Panama City, Florida.

Join us for a great evening!

07/28/2026

Saving Downtown Blountstown’s summer dance is coming up on Saturday, August 8, at the civic center.

Along with the dance, we will have a silent auction with a few items and some WONDERFUL cakes.

Does anyone out here in Facebook space have an item to donate or cakes to bake to be auctioned off? Gift cards would be great!

All proceeds go to the mural of the steamboat we are having painted on the Dewberry building.

Please let me know asap if you can help us.

07/08/2026

Please join us for our annual summer dance! Saturday, August 8, at 7 pm at the W. T. Neal Civic Center.

Featuring the WONDERFUL music of Cliff Ellis, along with Kirk and AJ Thompson, Joe Retherford and Jesse Roberts!

We will have refreshments and an open bar for $50 per person.

For tickets, go to
thecommercebuilding.org
or email [email protected].

This domain may be for sale!

07/07/2026

Join us for a great meal!

06/16/2026

ENDLESS SUMMER DANCE

Music of Cliff Ellis (lead singer of The Villagers)—Performing a mix of that ageless and wonderful music of the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Saturday, August 8, 2026
W. T. Neal Civic Center
Blountstown
7:00 to 11:00 Central Time
Tickets are $50 per person or $400 for a table of eight.

Saving Downtown Blountstown is sponsoring this dance to raise funds for the mural that is going to be painted on the old C. C. Corbin hardware store.

Get together with a group of friends and enjoy some special time together!

To purchase tickets, go to thecommercebuilding.org or go by Calhoun Coffee Company. You can also email Sharon at [email protected].

PLEASE SUPPORT THIS WONDERFUL DANCE AND MURAL PROJECT!!!

06/10/2026

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/endless-summer-dance-featuring-the-music-of-cliff-ellis

EXCITING NEWS!!! Renowned muralist, Wes Hardin, of Dothan has been commissioned to paint a historic mural on the east side of the old C. C. Corbin Hardware store building on Main Street in Blountstown. This building is currently occupied by Dewberry Engineering.

The central image of the mural will be the John W. Callahan steamboat, surrounded with smaller images of historic events in our community. Locals and the thousands of travelers who drive through town every day will have an unobstructed view of this work of art.

This drawing is a rough first draft.

To support this project, Saving Downtown Blountstown is hosting a dance on August 8 at the W. T. Neal Civic Center. Tickets are $50 and there will be an open bar and light refreshments. Music will be by Cliff Ellis (lead singer of The Villagers) and a professional back up band. Go to thecommercebuilding.org to purchase tickets or make a donation for the mural.

01/07/2026

On Friday evening, March 6, 2026, Saving Downtown Blountstown will host a special event, "Evening at The Commerce.” The evening will be a celebration of the progress that has been made in the restoration of this historic building.

The evening's festivities will include wine, hors d'oeuvres, music, and the opportunity to socialize with friends.

Tickets are priced at $50 per person and can be purchased online at thecommercebuilding.org or by emailing [email protected]. Attendees are encouraged to dress nicely and join in celebrating downtown Blountstown.

Please visit our new website, thecommercebuilding.org, for more information.

12/17/2025

WONDERFUL NEWS!!!

The Commerce Building received its Certificate of Occupancy today!

At times, the project to save this historic building seemed to face insurmountable challenges. Many people feared that the project was just too big to complete in the economic environment that we live in today.

Bill Gaskin, Saving Downtown Blountstown board member, stepped up and assured the rest of the board that he could do what needed to be done. Using his personal resources and crew, he has worked tirelessly to meet the December 31 deadline. Jimmy Grant, the building inspector, made his final visit this afternoon and issued the Certificate of Occupancy.

Our community owes Bill a sincere thank you. Working with his crew and a few volunteers, he has completed what seems like a miracle.

Chris Atkins, a Saving Downtown Blountstown board member, has been a much appreciated part of this project. Currently, he is working on landscaping plans for the exterior of the buildng.

We know that the next question we will hear is, “What happens now?”

A portion of the downstairs has been rented, and serious interest has been expressed in a second section. The board will work to find suitable tenants for the rest of the downstairs. Input from the community is always welcome.

Plans for the upstairs will be worked on in the future. Everyone involved is ready right now for a well-earned rest.

The board would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has encouraged us and helped along the way to save The Commerce Building!

Bill will be posting interior photos tomorrow afternoon.

MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY 2026 from Saving Downtown Blountstown!