In this episode of Downtown Depot, real estate developer and city planner Chris McGowan uses history to highlight the development of downtown Waco: where it was decades ago, and what it can grow to become. Before that, show host Austin Meek discusses the importance of shopping local in light of the announcement of Half Price Books' return to Waco by speaking with Christina Morrow of Brazos Books. He also gets an inside look into Waco's music scene in a conversation with Jake Barr, bassist for The Dimaggios.

Inside the Episode:

0.54: Half-Price Books returns to Waco

1.49: Impact on a local bookseller, Brazos Books

4.00: Jake Barr of The Dimaggios talks about the local music scene

Chris McGowan with show host Austin Meek

7.50: Chris McGowan's Waco story

9.21: Pitching the Chamber on a downtown development position

11.04: The plan for developing downtown

13.36: Reasons for downtown perking up

15.17: 20th century urban planning and its pitfalls

16.59: Update on The Civic Center

20.00: Economic benefit of shopping at local businesses

22.12: One way streets

24.28: Franklin Avenue vs. Austin Avenue

26.17: Connecting the East side to downtown