The face of shopping in State College may change forever if tentative plans to develop the vacant G.C. Murphy Co. building on Allen Street become a reality.

The change could only be for the better. The downtown area already is full of too many overpriced specialty shops, convenience stores and fast-food restaurants. The borough lacks practical, affordable places for those who do not have the means to travel out of town to shop for grocery items and hardware.

More than a year after Big Top Market closed its Beaver Avenue doors, a reasonably priced food store is still absent from downtown. Granted, bringing in a large chain grocery store would not be real feasible, and it might destroy the small-town atmosphere most residents are fighting to preserve.

But creative ways do exist to bring affordable groceries to town without sacrificing the town's aesthetic beauty. An indoor, year-round farmer's market could serve two purposes -- to bring low-cost, quality food to residents while adding to the ambiance of the downtown area.

One of the jobs of Downtown State College Inc. is to make State College appealing to all shoppers. By working with businesses to fill the Murphy's building, the group might be starting to realize its potential. Another possible idea is to bring in a smaller location of one of the currently existing supermarket chains to the site.

The borough's economic climate seems to be faltering despite the recent national turnaround. Three businesses have closed their doors over the past two weeks. Auntie Anne's Pretzels, town fixture The Carriage House and the Surf Club Bar & Grill have all been feeling economic pressure from declining business.

Local government officials and Downtown State College Inc. must address continued problems of parking and a lack of affordable, practical merchandise if the town is to reclaim its past vitality.