Retail Marketing Strategies from Main Street South Australia’s David West
Join host Matt Wagner as he welcomes David West, director of Premier Retail Marketing and based in Adelaide, South Australia.
Get inspiring insights from Main Street business owners and economic development leaders.
EscucharTrabajamos en colaboración con miles de socios locales y líderes de base de todo el país que comparten nuestro compromiso de fomentar la prosperidad compartida, crear economías resistentes y mejorar la calidad de vida.
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This year’s semifinalists demonstrate exceptional achievements in reenergizing their downtowns through inclusive, collaborative organizing and innovative economic development, arts and culture, and historic preservation initiatives. The 2025 Great American Main Street Award semifinalists are:
Berlin Main Street – Berlin, Maryland
Denison Main Street – Denison, Texas
Easton Main Street Initiative – Easton, Pennsylvania
Main Street Farmington – Farmington, Oakland County, Michigan
Jefferson Matters – Jefferson, Iowa
Raton MainStreet/Arts & Culture District – Raton, New Mexico
Vicksburg Main Street Program – Vicksburg, Mississippi
Downtown Wytheville Inc. – Wytheville, Virginia
A national jury of industry professionals and local leaders evaluated applications from Main Street programs working across the country. After careful consideration and deliberation, these eight organizations have been selected as semifinalists for the prestigious Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) for excellence in fostering preservation-based revitalization efforts in their historic downtowns and commercial corridor districts through the Main Street Approach™.
Collectively, the 2025 GAMSA semifinalists have generated over $695 million in local reinvestment, helped open 975 net new businesses, facilitated the creation of 7,190 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 1,568 historic buildings, and leveraged 333,050 volunteer hours.
Competing for the Great American Main Street Award is a significant achievement in the Main Street Movement, and receiving the award is an esteemed honor. Since its establishment in 1995, only 112 of over 2000 Main Street programs have been acknowledged as GAMSA-winning communities. Many Main Street programs create multi-year plans to develop a strong application based on outcomes that have made meaningful impacts in their local communities. Organizations are familiar with the selection criteria — strength of the Main Street program in spurring community transformation, commitment to historic preservation, innovative programming, implementation of cross-sector partnerships, community outreach and stakeholder engagement, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion — and build towards this opportunity to be recognized.
Keep reading to learn more about each organization and stay tuned to our social channels for semifinalist shout outs! Make sure to save the date for the award ceremony on April 7 during the opening plenary of the 2025 Main Street Now Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where three semifinalists will be recognized as 2025 Great American Main Street Award recipients.
The Berlin Main Street program is a wonderful example of how Main Streets create welcoming and thriving communities. Housed within the City of Berlin and built on strong public-private partnerships, Berlin Main Street’s accomplishments include increasing business opportunities for minority- and women-owned businesses, championing preservation and adaptive reuse projects, and nurturing a volunteer base and board of directors that reflects of the community’s diversity — from age and heritage to perspectives and interests.
Berlin Main Street embraces diversity in many ways, including celebrating Black-owned businesses year-round, commemorating PRIDE Month with a flag-raising ceremony at City Hall, and creating opportunities for youth to get involved as volunteers and committee liaisons. The tree-lined district proudly boasts 47 structures on the National Register of Historic Places, 100% commercial occupancy, a thriving designated arts and entertainment district, and nearly two dozen annual events.
Founded in 1989 as one of the first Main Street programs in Texas, Denison Main Street fosters social connections and drives transformative economic development and historic preservation efforts. Using survey results, customer data, and conversations with community members, Main Street Denison excels at implementing strategy-driven approaches to create goals, programs, and initiatives that deliver results.
The organization also works to welcome people of all ages, abilities, and background downtown through their new pedestrian-friendly streetscape and ADA accessible seating and sensory-friendly accommodations at free events. Denison’s beautifully preserved historic buildings draw admirers from near and far. To date, the district has witnessed 710 building rehabilitations, and in June, the organization achieved its ambitious goal of removing 100% of slipcovers from buildings along Main Street through a façade grant program.
In the heart of Pennsylvania, Easton is a small city with a palpable sense of community ownership and pride. Easton Main Street Initiative is at the center of this renewed energy, bringing together local stakeholders from all backgrounds to realize a collective vision of a vibrant downtown. Established in 2005, their transformative design initiatives include a facade improvement grant program that has awarded over $425,000, multiple lighting improvement projects, and ambassadors who tend to plants, collect trash, and provide hospitality services to visitors and merchants in English and Spanish.
Easton Main Street Initiative uses strategic partnerships and strong relationships to cultivate a thriving downtown. The organization’s collaboration with passionate volunteers and local anchor institutions like Lafayette College, the Crayola Experience, and Easton Farmers Market have resulted in the downtown becoming a hub of social and entrepreneurial activity. Easton Main Street Initiative played a crucial role in reducing the commercial vacancy rate from 26% in 2008 to 10% in 2024. From helping farmers market vendors grow into brick-and-mortar retailers to providing small business grants, Easton Main Street is a trusted source of support for budding entrepreneurs and established businesses alike.
Farmington is known as the “crossroads community” in south Oakland County, Michigan. Similarly, downtown Farmington’s bustling Main Street district is the result of the intersection between the community’s appreciation for its historic heritage and desire to embrace change. The organization plays crucial roles in capital improvement projects, including recently partnering with the city to finance the Farmington Road Streetscape Project and funding the renovation of public parks into universally accessible gathering spaces through crowdsourced campaigns.
Main Street Farmington aligns its cultural programming under a placemaking catalyst strategy, ensuring that its events and promotions calendar creates year-round opportunities for people to gather downtown. They leverage visitor and business data and provide branding, promotion, and professional development services to support small business owners. These strategies are working: 66 net new businesses have opened and the vacancy rate in the district has dropped to 5% since the program began in 2002.
With a population of just over 4,000 people, Jefferson, Iowa, is a small town with big ambitions. Jefferson Matters focuses on promoting economic growth driven by their cultural and historic assets. They are committed to supporting multicultural families, providing opportunities across all income levels, and fostering welcoming spaces for LGBTQ+ people. Jefferson Matters works to improve the community in many ways, including facilitating historic building improvements, sponsoring historical plaques and tours, implementing downtown design improvements, and providing financial and technical assistance for startups and small businesses.
Recently, a new focus on public art has transformed the community. The organization’s rooftop mural initiative draws visitors to the town’s iconic bell tower to enjoy a spectacular view. When the pandemic caused the closure of a large software development office, Jefferson Matters knew they needed to pivot. They reallocated funds and worked with local leaders to build a strategy focused on the arts, resulting in new businesses and studio spaces, alleyway improvements, public art installations, and events. By emphasizing art downtown, they have filled vacant spaces and positioned their district as a destination for authentic cultural experiences.
Raton, New Mexico, has deep roots in the mining industry, but when the last mines closed at the beginning of the 21st century, they knew they needed to write a new story. Raton MainStreet and the City of Raton worked together to develop a new economic strategy that invested in public infrastructure and leveraged the town’s cultural and creative assets. Outcomes include the implementation of streetscape improvements, the construction of a multimodal transit center, and the formation of Raton’s State-Authorized Arts & Cultural District. Their work has created a vibrant, sustainable, and connected downtown that serves the surrounding community and the region.
Raton MainStreet is committed to recognizing and celebrating their diverse, multicultural heritage, which includes descendants from founding Native American and Spanish settlers, as well as immigrants from around the world. Raton MainStreet takes care to center inclusive organizational leadership by recruiting board members that reflect their community, including Hispanic, Native American, and LGBTQ+ members. They also prioritize age inclusion, with board members ranging in age from 16 to 68. From free admission events that welcome residents of all backgrounds to grant programs that invest in district merchants, Raton MainStreet is leading efforts to revive community pride.
Nestled along the Mississippi River, Vicksburg is a modern town with a deep history. Vicksburg Main Street brings together historic preservation, recreation, and community engagement to promote a beautiful and thriving downtown. Signature activities include Second Saturday events that blend live music with art and shopping, and “From Vacant to Vibrant” tours that encourage community members to envision new uses for underutilized commercial spaces and co-create the organization’s business attraction strategies. These efforts have driven a rise in foot traffic, increased business revenue, and stronger community engagement.
Vicksburg Main Street also works closely with existing businesses to create sustainable growth and foster the next generation of local leaders. When the owners of several family-owned businesses recently retired, Vicksburg Main Street acted quickly to reduce the risk of closure. They helped identify young entrepreneurs who were excited to take over the businesses, ensuring that these important economic and cultural assets remained in the community. As a result, downtown Vicksburg has drastically decreased its commercial vacancy rate from 65% in 1984 to just 4% today.
Downtown Wytheville Inc. is proud of its role as a leader within their community and across the Main Street Movement. They work closely with local government and elected officials to create lasting change and grow local pride. They also act as a mentor for Mobilizing Main Street programs and engage in knowledge sharing and partnerships with other Main Street programs. Downtown Wytheville Inc. is committed to representing the full breadth of their community, including recruiting a diverse board and supporting youth leadership.
Through collaboration with property owners, community leaders, and government, Downtown Wytheville Inc. has attracted millions in public and private investment. Through their administration of a community business launch grant, they spurred the creation of two full-scale breweries, a bakery, and an art school expansion. During the pandemic, Downtown Wytheville Inc. found itself at the center of a community that needed them more than ever. In response, they launched a grant fund to support local businesses and distributed Community Development Block Grant funds as rent and mortgage relief. This swift action helped save legacy businesses and stabilize households.
Tune in to the Main Street America social media channels for spotlights of each semifinalist throughout the month of October. Save the date for the award ceremony on April 7, 2025, during the opening plenary of the 2025 Main Street Now Conference in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.