Free Republic

Over the past few years, downtown Houston has experienced a dramatic makeover. After decades of blight, the area has seen the restoration of old buildings and the return of retail, particularly restaurants and clubs. Many of these new businesses suffered through months of road construction with the hope that the arrival of light rail would turn things around. It's been almost six months since rail's launch, enough time, perhaps, for retailers to gauge whether the train will have a positive effect on their businesses. It should be noted, of course, that no two businesses have the same story to tell....