Those of us who believe in downtowns got a big boost of confidence this week: We are not alone.

John Reny, the president of Renys stores, also believes in downtowns, and he has built his business in the traditional commercial centers that have been abandoned by other merchants over the last few decades.

On Thursday, Renys opened its 15th store, in downtown Portland, bringing a large retail presence to a section of the city that was long ago abandoned as the state’s premier shopping center. Renys is not a replacement for the fancy old department stores, but offers something new.

More than 20,000 people live and work within a short walk of the new store. Rather than relying on people from the outlying areas to come into a service center community to shop, like the old stores did, this business will get a large share of its customers from the folks already here.

As gas prices climb, more people will be looking for places to live that don’t require so much driving. And when they get here, downtown believers like Renys will be ready to serve.