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Local woman working to change the face of downtown

Staff photo by Gary Stelzer Linda Moorman inside BeauVerre Riordan Stained Glass Studio in downtown Middletown Thursday, Nov 19.

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By Ryan Gauthier, Staff Writer Updated 8:27 AM Monday, November 23, 2009

Editor’s note: This is part of a regular series on women of influence in Butler County.

Sometimes having a positive outlook on life really can make good things happen.

Just ask Linda Moorman, who co-owns BeauVerre Riordan Stained Glass Studio with husband Jay.

She is a vocal part of a growing push to revitalize Middletown’s downtown area, with hopes that it will one day be a destination for people in surrounding communities.

She knows a thing or two about drawing in outsiders, as she said BeauVerre Riordan is living proof that a destination business can survive – and even thrive – in Middletown.

“I just got off the phone with Ohio Tourism today,” Moorman said. “They’re going to be featuring our studio in January in Columbus. I guess we’ve started to gain a reputation as a tourist destination.”

The amount of work she puts into the community will be evidenced this weekend, when the city’s annual Holiday Santa Parade makes its way down Central Avenue. Moorman and close friend Jamie Murphy have co-chaired the parade for three years, with the event growing to an estimated 45-minute extravaganza featuring everyone from Santa to Who Dey, the Cincinnati Bengals’ mascot.

The parade co-chairs were still adding floats as late as last week, with Moorman joking she has been scouring internet auction site eBay for an inflatable Snoopy balloon similar to those seen in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Make that half-joking.

Murphy said Moorman’s aspirations extend far beyond holiday parades, as she is always willing to help someone in need, regardless of how much she already has on her plate.

“She’s extremely supportive for any group that’s trying to do something, no matter what it is,” Murphy said.

Family first, business second.

Moorman claims that’s her motto, though as of late she said her priorities may be slightly reversed.

“Our family has suffered with me putting so much effort in down here,” Moorman said. “When you take something else on, like community work, something else has to give.”

“Down here” to Moorman is Middletown’s struggling downtown area, where she co-owns BeauVerre Riordan Stained Glass Studio on the corner of Central Avenue and Broad Street. Moorman is the first to admit she might have first become involved in revitalizing the area for selfish reasons, but said as she dove deeper into finding a solution she started to have fun helping move the cause forward.

It even helped her meet Murphy, with whom she regularly attends ballroom dancing classes and has co-chaired the city’s annual Holiday Santa Parade for three straight years.

Murphy said Moorman is focused on encouraging anyone who needs help, always with a positive attitude.

“Instead of people going ‘eew, downtown Middletown,’ why can’t it be a nice little town?” Murphy said. “Why does it always have to be negative? So she is really pushing to make it a positive thing.”

Moorman has been active with various community groups as well, including the Downtown Alliance, the Downtown Development Committee and the Art Central Foundation. She also sits on the board of directors with the Middletown Convention & Visitor’s Bureau, but said she is hesitant to join any other groups right now for fear of being spread too thin.

Born and raised in Middletown, Moorman said she remembers entering the store where BeauVerre Riordan now stands, shopping for presents for her siblings. As the middle child of a large family, she said she was the sort of person who just kind of has to get things done.

That “bossy” streak, as she calls it, has really helped her tap into her inner teacher and show numerous aspiring artists how to work with stained glass.

Arlyne Sarquis, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Miami University Middletown, said Moorman really brings out the best in everyone she works with.

“She has this unique ability to encourage people, but be rigorous with them and have high expectations to push them to be able to do what they can do,” Sarquis said.

Sarquis was first drawn into Moorman’s shop eight years ago in search of supplies for mosaic work, only to find herself enrolled in a stained glass class a short time later. She said Moorman takes people from all walks of life and melds them together into a tight-knit group.

“We’re all thrown together and end up becoming this big fan club of who she is and what she does,” Sarquis said. “You feel like you’re a member of the family when you go there.”

For now, Moorman is focused on working with husband, Jay, to help bring a Pendleton Art Center to the downtown area. She said the influx of artists would bring with it a slew of commercial opportunities, with the ultimate goal of turning downtown Middletown into a destination area featuring trendy art, dining and entertainment options.

“We sit between Springboro and West Chester and people like to get out of their communities and go to cool spots,” Moorman said. “I think Middletown can be that cool spot.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 705-2871 or rgauthier@coxohio.com.

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