NOTE FROM THE LECTURER DAWN TROOK: Writing 10 is a required freshman composition class at UC Merced, one that causes many groans. During Spring semester I had my students perform community-engaged research. My goals were to connect students with the city of Merced and to encourage them to see their writing as impacting and reaching an audience beyond the classroom. The Downtown Project started when I took my morning section on a downtown tour. One of the most striking things we realized was how many helping agencies are located within this shopping district. These students' essays celebrate the diversity and persistence of this locale.

Words by Alex Acuña

Along downtown Merced’s Main Street, many shops are opening for the day. Some have been open for hours now, like the bakery or coffee shop, but the retail businesses are just getting ready. Inside one of these stores, the morning light filters through the street side window into a place filled with all manner of instruments, each of which reflecting the dull light with their own glistening polished surfaces. The store is empty except for two people, one up front unpacking some boxes to display new products, the other diligently working behind the scenes making it all happen.

Ingram’s is a small music store owned and operated right here in downtown Merced. The manager, Devon Ingram, shows me into a larger back room, filled to the breaking point with boxes and excess music equipment. Ingram says it’s difficult to have a varied selection with such limited space, but tries to accommodate the customer by stocking as much as they can. We settle into this large yet cluttered area, and begin our talk.

Ingram is originally from the Stockton area, and through family, got into the music business here in Merced when the shop opened over ten years ago. Back then downtown Merced was much simpler, and with the opening of other music stores like Gottschalk’s, competition has been fierce. With the relative proximity of these stores, it is easy for customers to walk between them in order to see what each place has to offer. Lower prices and a larger variety of instruments have been a few of the outcomes. “We try and always have an affordable option for our customers,” knowing that many people don’t have too much extra spending money in this economy, says Ingram.

Despite the bad economy, business has been well. Many of the events and opportunities happening here in Merced provide commerce to the downtown area. During Michelle Obama’s visit, two of Ingram’s drum suppliers had a drum competition in the storefront. This was able to generate lots of attention. Also, with the addition of many new storefronts in downtown Merced, especially Starbucks, a totally new crowd is being drawn in to that area of town. “It’s always positive to not have empty storefronts,” Ingram commented. Lots of these people are passing by Ingram’s and bringing in more business

I inquire her more about the competition between this store and Gottschalk’s. She thinks it is good that there are multiple music stores here in Merced. The competition is what keeps prices down and makes things cheaper for the customers to buy, which is good. She does mention, however, it’s hard to keep everything in stock, and keeping a large variety of brands and instruments is difficult with limited space. Gottschalk’s having multiple stores makes it easier for them to move things around, Ingram mentioned, the only space we have is whatever is here. On a positive note, for her at least, Gottschalk’s is limited in the brands they carry. Because of their other stores, they can only carry certain brands at certain places, otherwise they might violate their brand contracts.

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