Florence needs more than ‘logo’ to market itself

The city of Florence is in the next-to-last stage of having a “logo” to help market the area and to help focus on things that make the area attractive to residents and visitors.

Let’s hope that the efforts to get public input and buy in leading up to the logo’s introduction will help focus community leaders on what we have and where we need to go.

First, let’s talk about the logo itself, which was developed by a Greenville firm Arnett Muldrow & Associates.

At a presentation last week, Ben Muldrow told the audience “not to throw chairs at him if they were dissatisfied.”

Most at the meeting had good things to say. And there were a number of comments online at the Morning News Web site, as well — some positive and some not so positive.

The logo is aimed to “show the area’s tradition as well as growth potential and natural resources through a “stylized leaf” attached to the “R” in the city’s name.”

Muldrow said in a story in the Morning News that the blue-and-green accompanying logo that shows the sun, the sky, hills and possibly a river “... can be what you want it to be.”

For the most part, we think it plays off our strengths.

One thing possibly missing is anything connected with the railroads, which were the reason the city was founded.

Maybe there is a way to recognize that as well before the final adoption.

The effort to develop the logo will now move to another phase.

According to the same story in the Morning News, Muldrow and Randy Wilson, president of Columbia-based design and planning firm Community Design Solutions, will come back in a few weeks to help implement the logo and to work with the community on ways to implement a plan.

We look forward to its use, but we hope it doesn’t go the way of past slogans and other ideas to promote the city of Florence — adopted and forgotten.

During the process of hearing from the community, the group tried to “focus on the positive.”

And that’s what it hopes to build off of going forward.

But to make the effort a real success, there has to be a concerted effort to make sure that several key developments don’t get sidetracked or killed.

And on top of that, we need to have somebody lead a concerted effort to “clean up” our community, especially the corridors leading into Florence — Irby Street and the area on Palmetto coming into town from the airport.

We know the excitement the new Florence Little Theatre has created, and we have to build off that.

The Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center Board is expected to look at bids next month.

Efforts are moving ahead to get the Florence Museum downtown and to have the county operate it and one in Lake City, as well.

Another key is to get a new courthouse downtown, as well.

The recommendations of a tourism study committee and the Francis Marion Trail are other positives to build on.

We need all the pieces in place, including private development, if the puzzle is to be finished.