Murfreesboro, TN – Remember your mom telling you to brush your teeth, comb your hair, and make a good first impression? Research shows it can take as little as a tenth of a second to form a first impression, making those initial moments crucial for leaving a lasting, positive impact.

The 7-11 rule reveals that in the first seven seconds of meeting someone, 11 strong first impressions are made. Forty years ago, the City of Murfreesboro and the Chamber of Commerce set out to improve the city’s first impression on visitors.

It all started in a brainstorming session, and for those who attended these early brainstorming meetings, you might recall a striking visual presentation by an outside firm. The presentation showcased streets cluttered with electric cables crisscrossing the roads—some dangling low, others at odd angles. When the guest speaker revealed that the eyesores were not from some far-off place, attendees were stunned. The speaker explained that the photos were taken in Murfreesboro, near the location that was once Shoney's and more recently a restaurant called 219 Mixed Cuisine. Another photo highlighted Longhorn Liquor and Budget Brakes, all businesses located along NW Broad Street in an area known as The Bottoms. The guest speaker went on to explain that when something has been around long enough, we tend to block it out and fail to see the problem.

The room fell silent when the speaker said, “Murfreesboro."

Removing those downtown power lines marked a significant first step in improving the Heart of Tennessee’s first impression. From that point on, Main Street Murfreesboro was born, and 39 years later, the initiative has significantly enhanced the city’s image, aligning with the 7-11 rule in a positive way.

Think about your travels. When visiting cities with populations of 160,000 or more for 50-plus years, there's often a feeling of being in a "big place." These cities usually boast vast downtown business areas filled with historic buildings now repurposed for museums, libraries, and other public spaces. Murfreesboro's leaders are working to create a similar, modern, family-friendly atmosphere in the downtown business district. Like the issue of those old electric lines, the longer a person has lived in a place, the less likely they are to notice problems that newcomers might see immediately.

Murfreesboro continues to bury cables underground, reducing power outages during storms and enhancing the cityscape. Efforts to build more parks, greenspaces, and bring jobs closer to residential areas are also underway. Studies show that today's young workers prefer living downtown, especially when it’s near their workplace.

The various projects proposed for the old inner city aim to expand the downtown business and residential footprint. By doing so, the 7-11 first impression formula could help shape the perception of Murfreesboro as a city of nearly 200,000 residents, rather than just a small town.

The City of Murfreesboro’s vision to create a family-friendly area where people can walk together safely, explore, learn, and eventually enjoy food and music, is gradually becoming a reality. Just last week, a complete block along the south side of NW Broad Street, between South Church and Front Streets, saw the final stage of building demolitions. This area will soon witness the daylighting of Town Creek, which currently flows underground from Murfree Spring wetlands to Cannonsburgh Village.