Python 3.5.2 - Help w/ Script

At the line 25, add space after if. The __name__ is a special-variable identifier that must be separated from the if keyword. The variable is filled with the string '__main__' when the program is launched as a script (that is, when it is not used as a module). In other words, that if allows you to use the same file with the program be used both as a script or as a module (to be imported from elsewhere).

The main in your code is actually a normal function that you call explicitly at the line 27. It can be given any name. There even is no special convention to name it main. But it is definitely understandable also to people who know other languages.

Try to change the tail of your code like this (add the print just above the last if):

print(__name__)
if __name__ == '__main__':
    main() 

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I have named the script mymodule.py. When launched, it displays:

d:\__Python\sj77\ee29024671>py mymodule.py
__main__
Welcome to the ROWriter Database applet! What would you like to do?

1) Insert a new store CIM info...
2) Update an existing store CIM info...
3) Delete an exisiting store CIM info...
4) Search for CIM
5) Exit the application...
Enter option:

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Notice the second line with the '__main__' string printed.

Now, create another program named script.py that just imports the mymodule and calls its function main() (here it is when wrapping the body into a function comes handy:

import mymodule

mymodule.main()

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Notice that now the second line prints 'mymodule'.

d:\__Python\sj77\ee29024671>py script.py
mymodule
Welcome to the ROWriter Database applet! What would you like to do?

1) Insert a new store CIM info...
2) Update an existing store CIM info...
3) Delete an exisiting store CIM info...
4) Search for CIM
5) Exit the application...
Enter option:

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In other words, that print command before the if was executed when the mymodule was imported. The block below the if was not executed because the condition does not hold. The main() was called explicitly a bit later from the script.py. This is the example that should make it clear why the if __name__ == '__main__': is often used, and why to wrap the functionality into a function.

You can try to use just body of main() (that is, remove the function definition, and the if tail, remove one indentation level). It will work the same way. But then it cannot be used as a module.

I just want it to work in line with the entire code. Do not want to script another script. Would that be best practice?

Then main() is not necessary, and also the last if is not necessary. You can just use:

user_exit = 5
while True:
    #prints statements that lead the end-user to decide what they would like to do
    print('Welcome to the ROWriter Database applet! What would you like to do?')
    print()
    print('1) Insert a new store CIM info...')
    print('2) Update an existing store CIM info...')
    print('3) Delete an existing store CIM info...')
    print('4) Search for CIM')
    print('5) Exit the application...')

    #accepts user input and converts it to a string and stores into a variable
    user_input = int(input('Enter option:'))
    #if user input is equal to the exit variable then the application exits
    if user_input == user_exit:
        break
    elif user_input == 1:
        option_one()
    elif user_input == 2:
        option_two()
    elif user_input == 4:
        option_four()

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Hmmm. Interesting, when I run the script, I get option1() starting off first as opposed to this part of the code. Mind you, this block is at the bottom after the definitions option_one(), option_two(), etc are defined above this block.

am I supposed to be putting something at the top above option1() to reference this block of code at the bottom to start it from here first so that it knows to look at the definitions when end-user selects 1-5?