Our view: Fledgling effortsshould inspireCrescent City

They aren't much to look at. One operates out of a trailer in the harbor and offers no indoor seating. The other occupies a tiny building with a few booths at the corner of Elk Valley and Howland Hill.

But both of the new Crescent City restaurants featured on Thursday's front page are dishing up impressive servings of entrepreneurial inspiration.

In fact, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them symbols of the plucky spirit that we need to move Del Norte County forward: enterprises that start small but plan big, all the while embracing their roles in helping their community.

The similarities between BC's Boardwalk sandwich shop in the harbor and Gordi Bro's Mexican restaurant out on Elk Valley Road go beyond modest appearances. Their owners both encountered red tape before opening that might have discouraged people with less determination. And both have visions of bright futures not only for their own ventures, but also the surrounding environs.

Bill Cobb had the gumption to negotiate a lease with the Harbor Commission at a time when it was locked in disputes with some of its current tenants. He envisions a revitalized harbor with more eateries, retail shops and tourist attractions, and he wants to be a part of it.

Jorge Gonzalez has the same high hopes for downtown Crescent City, where he'd like to expand his Mexican restaurant concept into a sports bar and, ultimately, an indoor athletic facility as well. Gonzalez accurately notes there is a shortage of places to go downtown during evening hours, and wants to help fill that void. He'd picked a downtown spot but couldn't afford to make the immediate improvements required by city regulations. Rather than give up, he opened for business elsewhere, but still hopes to move downtown next year.

Cobb and Gonzalez aren't the only entrepreneurs buying into the future of Crescent City. At 11 a.m. today, three businesses celebrate their grand openings downtown as part of a Business Improvement District block party and the dedication of the tsunami mural. Chere's Boutique; Johnston's Gift, Garden and Home; and 6 Degrees of Celebration are welcome in a business district that is turning into an attractive place to stroll.

We aren't all in a position to open a local business, but we all have the potential to help this community grow in positive ways. For one thing, we can support the businesses that are already here by buying local. Beyond that, we can take inspiration from them. Their owners are stepping up as entrepreneurs, and we need more of that. But there are other ways to step up, from cleaning up your own property to volunteering your time for a good cause.

You won't be alone. There's no shortage of local residents trying to do their part to better their community. Look no further than the November ballot, which sports nine candidates for three spots on the Harbor Commission and nine more candidates for three City Council posts. Up the road in Brookings, where two City Council positions are up for grabs, there's a grand total of zero candidates on the ballot.

With no indoor seating, Bill Cobb is counting on phone-in pick-up orders to keep business humming at BC's Boardwalk during the rainy months ahead. Up at Gordi Bro's, Jorge Gonzalez' mother makes fresh tortillas and puzzles over whether today's customers will have more of a taste for beef or marinated pork.

Deli sandwiches or tacos, anyone?