BOONE COUNTY, Indiana — Jamestown, Indiana, is home to just shy of 1,000 Hoosiers and one stop light on Main Street.
It's one of the smaller communities in Boone County, but leaders are investing big-time money to help bring some energy and excitement back to the town.
Cochran's Catering and Cakes is a 42-year-old institution in Jamestown, located at 29 W. Main St.
"Today, we have our chicken, our roast beef and our ham," co-owner Beth Stokes said. "We have baked beans and green beans and parsley potatoes."
Stokes is also a pastry chef at Cochran's, offering cake-by-the-slice once a month.
"One of our most popular cakes is our snickerdoodle with maple cream cheese icing," Stokes said.
Just as warm as the full-service dinner buffet is the staff's hospitality.
"You can stay as long as you want," owner Rodney Cochran said.
Cochran has been in the food and catering business for decades, but this year, he is the proud recipient of the Boone County 180 Makeover Award.
Facilitated through the 180 Alliance for READI 1.0 funding, the award helps rejuvenate historic downtowns across central Indiana.
So far, the 180 Makeover program has allocated approximately $1.2 million in funding. With the help of the Boone County Economic Development Corporation, Cochran's will see major upgrades this year inside and out, starting with a new roof.
"We're going to paint the outside," Cochran said. "We're going to put a new awning in. We're going to put a central-air unit in. We're going to put a hot-water heater in."
"It's going to look good," Cochran added. "It's going to be beautiful. A lot of pressure off of me."
Now in his mid-70s, Cochran knows a thing or two about maintaining a business over the years. On display inside Cochran's are dozens of renovation photos of the family-owned business.
"This was dry wall in there, and we took it down to the brick. This is when we were hanging the chandeliers that are in here," Cochran said.
Main Street has also seen upgrades over the years, documented by Cochran.
"These are the pictures of the town when they were remodeling US 136," Cochran said.
Stokes, however, grew up in Jamestown, and she said the small town isn't quite what it used to be.
"Well, honestly, when I was younger, this town was booming," Stokes said.
"Over the next few years, it kind of died off," Cochran said. "We used to have seven hairdressers. Now, we've got none."
That's why Cochran hopes programs like the 180 Makeover Award will help bring life back to Main Street.
"I'm excited for this community," Cochran said. "It's a good community. Anybody in Boone County seems like they do good. There are good people out there. All you have to do is give them a chance."
"The community has been great," Stokes said. "The town has given us all the means to apply for the grant and continue to business."
Cochran and Stokes said the business has become a true family affair over the years.
"My wife has always been with me," Cochran said. "You want to test a marriage? Work 24/7."
Now, Cochran says the renovations provided by the 180 Makeover Award will allow him to pass down the family business to his children and grandchildren in the years to come.
"All they have to do is maintain it," Cochran said. "It is easier to maintain a place than it is to try to take it and build it up."
This spring, Cochran says he still works 19-hour days at times to meet the business' demands.
"If you get a job, you've got to love what you do," Cochran said.
He says it's his passion and family that keep him going.
"I lost my wife seven years ago," Cochran said. "A lot of it is my faith. It's the Lord. He helped me out through a lot of this stuff."