Visitors to The Square in downtown Athens will soon have some new businesses and services to check out.

Athens Main Street Executive Director Tere Richardson held a press conference Tuesday at the AMS office on The Square. She announced three new businesses that will soon call downtown home.

First on the list was That’s SO Art, an art studio owned by Athens native Sara Ogles. Richardson said she is opening a brick-and-mortar store after having a lot of success online.

“Sara’s passions include whimsical custom watercolors of homes, churches and business portraits, as well as some colorful abstract art,” Richardson said. “We are so excited and thrilled to have Sara and her studio downtown.”

That’s SO Art will be located at 110 W. Market St., the former location of Dobbs Shoe Shop.

The next business announced was EXIT Realty Downhome, which will be owned by Felicia McGee. It will open at 115 S. Marion St.

“We all know what a booming market the housing market is in Limestone County and in Athens,” Richardson said. “We are thrilled to have Felicia opening the EXIT Realty Downhome in downtown.”

McGee said she and her husband, Jason, are Limestone County natives and chose to raise their family here because they believe “there is no better town than Athens — we love it here.”

“I chose EXIT because of the vision they have for creating opportunities and changing lives, both in the realtors we employ and the clients we get to represent,” Felicia McGee said. “EXIT is locally owned yet internationally strong. We say we are a family disguised as a real estate company. We are going to be involved in our community in a way you have probably never seen from a real estate company before.”

The third business coming to The Square is Athens Alehouse and Cellar, which will feature craft beer, wine and more at 111 W. Washington St., formerly Razor’s Edge barbershop.

Richardson said this is a “cool concept” that is brand new to downtown and Athens. It will be co-owned by Ken and Lori Hill, who hope to have the business open by mid-August.

“We are going to feature charcuterie, slushies, wine slushies, beer on draft, self-serve systems and some other things we are working on,” Ken Hill said. “We hope to bring some value to The Square. We think it’s going to be a nice little deal.”

Lori Hill reminded future patrons that the alehouse will be part of The Square Arts & Entertainment District, so customers will be able to take alcoholic beverages in designated blue cups around The Square.

Amy Golden, special projects manager for the City of Athens, congratulated the new business owners on behalf of Mayor Ronnie Marks and the City Council, and applauded their courage and entrepreneurial spirit.

“We are so pleased with you and your efforts here in Athens to make us a bigger, better, stronger community,” Golden said. “The growth is phenomenal, and each of you brings something very unique to our town, and we are so thankful for that.”

Golden also thanked Athens Main Street for helping to make Athens a better community.

“We have a lot of great things happening downtown,” Richardson said. “Our community and county are growing, and downtown is growing with it. Stay tuned, because we have other things to announce in the future.”