Unexpectedly, I found a pendant along with another necklace I thought I’d lost years ago. I went to Chris Dostal’s Fine Jewelry to have the pieces checked and evaluated.

Gina and Steve not only took their time with inspecting the jewelry, they cleaned the pieces to showroom quality. We enjoyed small talk as they worked, and I felt as if I’d stepped back in time to when shopkeepers knew you by name.

As long as I was in downtown Rosenberg, I decided to see what other shops had to offer. As I walked down the sidewalk, I remembered conversations I had with the late Arthur and Lydia Mahlmann about their growing-up years.

They said downtown Rosenberg was the place to be on Saturday nights. would come in from the farms and surrounding areas to visit with each other, catch up on the county news and do a little courtin’.

Lydia said the girls would go to the drugstore, sample the lipsticks and giggle at the guys. Arthur said the men would pick up a beer and a brat for a nickel and try to talk to the girls.

Downtown was the place to be, and that’s as true today as it was 60 years ago.

The downtown area has long been known for their antique stores, but there’s so much more. The stores have been updated and offer more than antiques. One store offered hand-made soaps and jewelry in addition to a room with a variety of coffees in all flavors.

So many shops have a backyard garden area, landscaped with beautiful flowers and garden knick-knacks. I walked past one shop where you can have your hair cut and styled while looking out on the street, just like people did back in the olden days.

Walking is enjoyable, thanks to the wide sidewalks and beautiful murals that cover the entire side of the buildings. Window shopping is always fun, and it’s a lot more satisfying than looking at pictures on a computer screen.

I found quite a selection of clothes, from pants to vests to shirts to baby clothes. The prices are reasonable, and the quality is top notch. There’s clothing for all occasions, from attending a casual rodeo to an elegant quinceanera.

You’ll find hand-made wreaths for all holidays and occasions and candles in all scents. A downtown area is complete when visitors have access to quality restaurants, and the downtown area has what you want.

My grandchildren and I enjoyed an old-fashioned milkshake, burger and fries while watching the trains roll by and promised ourselves we’d be back again. They asked if we could visit the Railroad Museum on our next trip as they thought the caboose on the grounds was calling their names.

The antique stores in downtown Rosenberg have always been a favorite haunt for me. One year, I found all the Christmas gifts for my sisters-in-law in the shops and had a fun time browsing, picking up items and saying “remember this?” to my friend.

In all the shops I visited, the owners were helpful and we had real conversations. You won’t find that on Amazon.

There’s other restaurants and shops around the downtown area as well, including the Black Cowboy Museum. Cast Theatrical has a full season of plays for 2022, all staged in the historic Vogelsang Bulding.

There’s no need to drive for hours west or north of Houston to rediscover the allure of a downtown area. The best is right here. Minutes from your house, you can get a bite of something delicious to eat, sip a little wine, pick up something special for that special person in your life, browse in quality shops for a variety of one-of-a-kind gifts or see a live theatrical performance.

In downtown Rosenberg, you’ll meet friendly shopkeepers and discover that hometown feeling right here in your own back yard.

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.