Although highway signs state that Chowchilla has eight antique stores, that number's misleading. Many, including Batey's, house multiple dealers who display their collectibles in rows of stalls. Those shops have helped keep the city's main drag from being lined by one empty storefront after another. But the antique store boom is just one part of revitalization efforts in Chowchilla. Harris, the mayor, has appointed a committee to suggest additional city improvements, including ways to encourage and manage population growth.
Some work is ready to begin.
This year, construction workers will repair the curbs lining Robertson and pour sidewalks along that street. Also on tap is the new fire station, which Fire Chief Harry Turner says should be completed later this year. While Turner is the only salaried member of the city's fire department, he's able to pick and choose his team because he has many candidates for the 18 volunteer spots. The fire department currently shares a building behind City Hall with the police. When the new fire station is finished, the law-enforcement offices will expand into that space.