ST. CLAIRSVILLE — St. Clairsville Main Street Small Business Association will be highlighting its members throughout the year to help people to get to know them.

Luran Williams of the association described the location of businesses the group is focusing on as from “light to light,” or between the two traffic lights on Main Street — one at Marietta Street and the other at Sugar Street.

Williams wants to bring awareness to each individual business, who is behind them and what they do.

Some of the businesses being highlighted this year include C&J Photography, run by Cylie Turkal; Belmont County Humane Society’s Fur Pet Sake, owned by Angela Hatfield; Bloom Studio, owned by Tina Yonack; Audrey’s Avenue Kitchen & Bar, owned by Audrey Brahler; Newellstown Diner, owned by Terra Butler and T.J. Stewart; and All About You Salon, owned by Alison Fall.

Williams has more than 10 businesses on Main Street that she will be highlighting with “spotlight” posts on social media. She said she gets to meet the business owners one on one and hear their stories.

“To hear their stories is really cool, because they each have their ‘This is what I’ve always wanted to do,'” she said. “I thought I needed to spotlight them as an individual.”

The first business to be featured is C&J Moments Photography. Williams had owner Cylie Turkal send a short essay about herself, her family and how she got into photography.

Williams is going to spotlight a different business every few weeks, posting on Facebook about them and hosting a reception where people can come to learn about them.

C&J Photography’s reception will be from 6-8 p.m. today with photo props, wine and some snacks as the owner shows off the studio.

Williams said Main Street has been stagnant, but it’s starting to grow. Her goal in highlighting businesses is to help Main Street grow more, she added, noting that Audrey’s Avenue Kitchen and Bar, Giacinta’s Gelato & Caffe and Bloom Studio, which opened last month, have all helped to turn Main Street around.

“That’s kind of my goal,” Williams said. “And so I really don’t want the attention really going to the Main Street Association, but to the businesses that I’m spotlighting.”

Williams said having a reception for each business will bring attention to the downtown as a whole and to the business, even if just three people show up to attend.

“I think Main Street is growing,” she said, “and I think that each individual deserves more attention to them individually, not just for shopping small, but for supporting someone’s creation, someone’s dream, and while growing Main Street at the same time.”

The Main Street Business Association will also be having a Chocolate Walk from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 8. Participating businesses will include local bakers, candy makers and artists. People can visit these businesses and receive a card that will get punched for each location visited and get a free sample of chocolate. The association will do a cash drawing afterward.

People can get ready to meet the bakers of Euphoric Donuts at Giacinta’s Gelato & Caffe, Lady Baker at Fur Pet’s Sake and Legal Indulgence at Zel Properties.