CLARKSBURG -- Clarksburg City Officials say they have been trying to get more businesses, and people, to the downtown area. With one brand new business, and another existing business expanding, their efforts seem to be paying off.

James Archer started his hot dog stand in downtown Clarksburg when the economy started to slow down.

"We thought to ourselves people always need to eat," Archer said, "so if we could find a good spot to see food, that we'd be able to get through get through any rough spots in the economy."

Archer now spends each afternoon from 11 until 4 in front of the courthouse. He and his business partner also have bigger plans for the business on the horizon.

"Sometime in the next few days, we will be at the city park in Bridgeport. We'll be down there for little league and soccer. We'll be a pretty regular fixture down there."

Scooter Dawgs isn't the only change to downtown Clarksburg. Kathy Goings owns Embellishments, Wicked Sisters, and the 5th floor Martini Bar on 3rd street in downtown. Goings and her husband have also purchased a second building on main street.

"We are actually expanding Wicked Sisters," Goings said. "It's currently on the 2nd floor and we'd like to have it on ground level. Also, we needed a little bigger space, because we've grown over the years."

The Blue Bird Store has also expanded in the past few months, and a new restaurant could also be moving into downtown, on the corner of 3rd Street and W. Pike Street. City officials say one reason could be the emphasis they are putting on revitalizing the downtown area.

"The downtown is a pivotal point for the city of Clarksburg," says Clarksburg City Manager Martin Howe. "We've invested a couple million dollars in street-scape and infrastructure improvement, and we want to continue that growth by encouraging businesses to expand or to relocate downtown."

Archer and Scooter Dawgs are also downtown on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights until about 3:00 a.m. The new Wicked Sisters store will have it's Grand Opening, next Thursday, July 9.