Rome can often seem like a small town to those who are visiting the seven hills. According to many visitors who were enjoying downtown on Thursday, that may be its greatest appeal.

Take Gil Espy, a former Roman now living in Dawsonville. While taking a stroll around Broad Street, Espy recalled the downtown area when he lived here before.

“I’ve always loved the downtown area,” he said. “My wife and I still come down here to walk.”

Espy moved away 37 years ago, and said that while downtown’s atmosphere has remained the same over the years, he’s not necessarily here for the restaurants or shops that line Broad Street.

“What Rome needs are a lot more areas that people can praise and enjoy,” he said, without offering specifics.

University of Sioux Falls visitors Beth O’Toole, Jen Morrell, Amanda Anderson, Nicole DeBoer and Amber Grubb, here for Saturday’s NAIA championship football game at Barron Stadium, strolled along Broad Street on Thursday and then went shopping at the Smart Shop Antique Mall and Flea Market on North Broad Street.

The five said they enjoyed downtown’s charms and the warm welcome from residents.

“I love the historic nature of it,” Morrell said. “It has a lot of character.”

Anderson said they also enjoyed the downtown shopping.

“We love wandering the shops and talking to people here,” she said. “And we want to do what we’re supposed to be doing in Rome.”

They were looking specifically for local businesses.

“We don’t want any sort of corporate stores that we can get at home,” DeBoer said.

As night fell on Downtown Rome, Sandi Lupkes was out with friends after driving 18 hours from Rock Rapids, Iowa, to see her son Mitch, a sophomore linebacker from Sioux Falls, play in the big game Saturday at Barron Stadium.

Lupkes, like many of the people visiting in town for the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Championship football title game this weekend, has found Rome so far to be hospitable and welcoming to newcomers.

“Something I’ve noticed is how friendly people are here,” she said. “We had someone say hello to us as soon as we got out of the car here.”

She said she was looking forward to exploring the diverse offerings of the downtown area, especially the shopping.