More than half a dozen downtown Lorain restaurants have been forced to permanently close their doors in the past year, but officials and business owners remain rightly optimistic that the International City can recover from recent setbacks.

Broadway Mary’s, 939 Broadway, closed indefinitely on August 21, the latest in a long line of closures in the city.

Closed restaurants include: The Gilmore, 4th Street Diner, Union Town, Game On and Erie Steak and Seafood, the former Jack-A-Lope.

However, Broadway Grill and Games, Papasitos, Fresco Bistro, Brass and Brawn, Dominos, Magdalen’s Gallery + Espresso, Marta’s N More Bakery, Cakes By The Lake, Faroh’s Candies and Gifts, Peace, Love and Little Donuts — Lorain, the Cafe at City Center and Scorcher’s will remain open, meaning people will come downtown for the good food and service.

A popular Oberlin local, Lorenzo’s Pizzeria, recently opened a restaurant on Broadway in downtown Lorain.

Lorain Brewing Co. will move to the shipyard facility at 500 Shipyards Way this year.

Just because a few restaurants have closed doesn’t mean downtown Lorain isn’t a good place to do business.

If that were the case, Lorenzo’s or Lorain Brewing probably wouldn’t take a chance on the city’s dining scene.

Businesses, especially restaurants, just need better marketing strategies to spread the word that downtown Lorain, located along the scenic Black River and Lake Erie, is an entertainment destination.

It is a destination because it has a designated outdoor refreshment area (also known as DORA), as well as the Palace Theater, the weekly Rockin’ on the River summer concert series, the Lorain Historical Society, and the Ariel Broadway Hotel.

Another piece of the puzzle is getting property owners to find tenants who want to live above these Broadway retail spaces.

Many of them are empty or are used as storage.

But one of the biggest catalysts for downtown Lorain’s revitalization occurred nearly a decade ago, when Rockin’ on the River moved from Cuyahoga Falls to International City.

Bob Earley, organizer of Rockin’ on the River, announced that his contract with the Lorain Port and Finance Authority’s Black River Landing expires this year.

When Earley and his wife, Sandy, came to Lorain for business, he said there would be a thriving downtown in five or six years, he said.

Earley believes he was wrong in his prediction for the future, as some companies, particularly in the hospitality industry, have experienced setbacks.

But some of the companies founded after his arrival still exist, and more are in the planning stages.

And Rockin’ on the River is having by far its best year ever.

Earley sees the business closures as a citywide support issue.

As more and more businesses are forced to close permanently, he called on the Lorain community to support downtown entrepreneurs.

Earley is right that Lorain needs to learn to take care of herself instead of complaining.

Rockin’ on the River began selling season and VIP tickets in December and sold 1,000 tickets.

Of the 1,000, only 112 were sold to someone who actually came from Lorain.

Tom Brown, executive director of the Lorain Port and Finance Authority, points out that Lorain is not the only place where businesses are closing.

Numerous restaurants in Northeast Ohio have closed their doors this year for various reasons.

Brown believes the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic was likely a factor in what has been a gloomy summer for downtown Lorain’s restaurant industry.

But Brown is right. The situation can still be saved.

Brown believes solving the problem requires a collaborative approach between the city, the Port Authority and nonprofits like Main Street Lorain.

Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley believes it is impossible to attribute the decline in business to just one factor.

However, Bradley agreed with Earley that Lorain’s business community lacks local support.

Bradley believes people need to be willing to visit the restaurants.

At the same time, customers want to have a positive experience with their meals and service.

Bradley says the city government is doing everything it can to help Lorain’s small businesses.

Kurt Hernon, owner of Speak of the Devil, 201 W. Fifth St., has had great success since opening the popular cocktail bar in 2017.

Hernon pointed out that areas like Cleveland’s Ohio City and Tremont neighborhoods struggled with similar problems but ultimately emerged successful.

If other cities can survive difficult times and eventually thrive, downtown Lorain can, too.