The Downtown Association held its monthly mixer last night in the old Gottschalk's building on the Fulton Mall. While I was there, I met Leo and Liz, who recently opened Cafe' Corazon on the Mall. These hard-working folks are up way before dawn every day roasting their own coffee and baking fresh breads and pastries for their customers. They are committed to their business and are making a personal investment in our downtown. What can and should the City do to support urban entrepreneurs like Leo and Liz? Well, the City should make it easier for all small business owners to navigate its paperwork and various regulations throughout the city. To support downtown businesses, specifically, the City should focus on providing a clean, attractive and pedestrian-friendly environment with amenities like directional signage, updated lighting, visible security, and sensible parking policies. Blighted buildings need to be brought up to standards to discourage vagrancy and vandalism - which have a negative effect on the image of our downtown. The City's own investment in our downtown is necessary to encourage the growth of more businesses, like Leo and Liz's Cafe Corazon.