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We are excited to welcome Lynda Tran, Tyrone Rachal, and Mary Helmer Wirth to the Main Street America Board of Directors
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From the Main Street Now Conference in Boston to the launch of the Main Street Business Insights podcast and beyond, it has been a busy and exciting year for the Main Street Movement, and our blog posts reflected that momentum. We have featured inspiring stories, useful how-tos, and engaging thought leadership. Here are seven of the best blogs we shared in 2023.
The Power of Collaboration: How the Boston Main Streets Foundation Serves the Community as a Public-Private Partnership
Founded in 2007 as a volunteer-driven public-private initiative, Boston Main Streets Foundation is a strong example of achieving shared goals through this type of collective approach. Learn more about the Foundation and their commitment to supporting Boston’s 20 Main Streets districts and the businesses they serve through the development of long-term economic development strategies and funding opportunities for grass-roots community projects.
7 Unique Main Street Business Concepts
Small businesses are the heart of many Main Street communities and local economies. They animate buildings, drive events, provide necessities, and bring people downtown again and again. Many Main Street small businesses feature unique concepts that can't be found anywhere else, providing an additional sense of place and drawing visitors from near and far. We asked Main Street programs to nominate their most interesting and innovative downtown businesses. From cat cafes to podcast studios, these businesses demonstrate the range and imagination of Main Street communities.
Beat the Heat This Summer Using Downtown Design
The world is experiencing record-breaking heat, making outdoor cooling measures increasingly important. From shade to water access, Main Street design can play a critical role in cooling your community. Marta Olmos, Associate Manager of Content and Communications, explored how you can use architectural features, greenery, and water elements to make your Main Street more accessible during these summer heat waves. Get inspired to beat the heat with examples from Lebanon, Indiana; St. Petersburg, Florida; Skowhegan, Maine; and other Main Street communities.
A New Housing Guidebook for Local Leaders
In 2022, Main Street America launched the "At Home on Main Street" research initiative with the generous support of the 1772 Foundation. Through this initiative, we have studied housing data from the U.S. Census, surveyed Main Street programs on the state of housing in their districts, and held a virtual convening of Main Street leaders and affiliates to discuss major issues and potential solutions. This year, we shared the next major product of this effort: A Housing Guidebook for Local Leaders. The Guidebook is a practical and easily digestible report containing practical “how-tos” about identifying housing opportunities, keeping inventory of buildings and vacant spaces, making sense of housing finance, understanding the common code and regulatory challenges encountered with housing development and vacant space activation, and more.
Oh Dear, I Need a Volunteer: How to Build and Manage Your Volunteer Program
Building and maintaining a robust volunteer program is a common challenge faced by Main Street programs. Volunteers are crucial allies in our work, but recruiting and retaining a sustainable volunteer base can be difficult. At the 2023 Main Street Now Conference, North Carolina Main Street presented a session titled "Oh Dear, I Need a Volunteer" outlining their advice for starting and growing a thriving volunteer program. Sherry Adams and Liz Parham from North Carolina Main Street shared the highlights of their conference session and offered ten key takeaways to help Main Streets build and manage their volunteer programs.
How to Build a Youth Board
Main Street programs need to engage and mentor the next generation of Main Street leadership. A youth board is a powerful tool to introduce young people to your mission and build investment in your work. The Historic Downtown Clinton Youth Board is a great example of the impact this program can have on a community. Kathrine Birkbeck at Historic Downtown Clinton shared how her organization worked with local schools to build a youth board. Learn about the exciting projects that the board has initiated and get step-by-step guidance on how you can create your own youth board at your organization.
How Main Streets Can Preserve Historic Neon Signs
Neon signs once brightened Main Streets from coast to coast, and many communities have been lucky to hold on to some of these historic landmarks. Unfortunately, surviving neon signs continue to face many preservation issues, including funding challenges, zoning compliance, and availability of skilled tradespeople. Jeremy Ebersole, board member at the Society for Commercial Archeology, shared the importance of Main Street neon, the current preservation challenges, and the steps you can take to protect neon signs in your community.
We have another great year of blog content planned for 2024, so keep an eye on the space for the latest stories, resources, and ideas from across the Main Street Movement. See you next year!
Franklin Bronze Plaques, a Main Street America Allied Member, is this quarter's Main Spotlight advertiser. For more information about the products and services they provide to Main Street organizations, click here >
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Matt Wagner, National Main Street Center's Vice President of Revitalization Programs, discusses competitive advantages, incrementalism and the power of the Main Street America network
Community Spotlight: Main Street Homer, Louisiana
Main Street Homer (Homer, Louisiana) was awarded a $25,000 A Community Thrives social impact grant from Gannett/USA Today Network to create an arts center with affordable artist studios and classroom/event space.
Evolution, Acceptance, and Change: The Main Street Approach as a Catalyst for Revitalization
Nearly slated for demolition 30 years ago, downtown Cedar Falls has experienced an amazing transformation through its revitalization journey using the Main Street Approach.
Main Street Roots Run Deep in Downtown Wytheville
Since starting as Executive Director, Todd has helped the organization achieve Virginia Main Street Designation Status and national Accreditation.
Announcing the 2018 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The National Main Street Center, Inc., announced Downtown Oregon City, Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency, and Howell Main Street as the 2018 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) winners during its annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
Main Streets in Action
We rolled out four new Main Street America videos highlighting the power of the Main Street movement, Main Street Approach, economic impact of Main Street, and the incredible volunteers that make Main Street's grassroots network so effective.
Community Spotlight: Ridgefield Main Street
Ridgefield Main Street is an energetic, up-and-coming Washington Main Street program located just north of Vancouver, Washington.
Want to do something big? Start small.
A series of small, incremental improvements, when taken together, provide momentum for long-term economic transformation and improved quality of life in a community.
Michigan Main Street Refresh Implementation: The Refresh from Our Communities’ Perspective
Here's a bit of background on each of the communities. Read on for the Refresh Implementation Q&A.
Announcing the 2017 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The National Main Street Center, Inc. announced the 2017 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) during its annual conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Reality of Main Street — Letter from the President
The National Main Street Center and the Brookings Institution have jointly authored a response to Mr. Hyman’s piece, The Reality of Main Street, that is featured on Brookings’ blog.
Michigan Main Street Refresh Implementation: Our Process and Lessons Learned So Far
Michigan Main Street Center was the first Coordinating Program to implement the new Main Street approach on a large scale. In this article, they share their robust process and valuable lessons.
The Reality of Main Street
There is another way for smaller communities to compete in today’s economy and we believe a strong main street strategy is at the heart of it.
The Myth of Main Street? Letter from the President
Letter from past MSA President, Patrice Frey
The Lowdown in Downtown LaBelle
Fritz the dog has made his way into the hearts of the residents of LaBelle, Florida, and helped our Main Street Community find a way to make what we do more noticeable.
Strategic Planning Through Transformation Strategies – Saline, Michigan
Back in October 2015, we introduced the three key components of the refreshed Main Street Approach: inputs, outputs and Community Transformation Strategies.
Revitalization and Main Street Transformation
For a lucky few downtowns, greatness may happen effortlessly with a strong sense of place that seems to develop organically and simply sustain itself. For most places, success doesn’t happen by chance.
Revisit Your Community’s Unique Assets: Connecting Asset-Based Economic Development to Community Transformation Strategies
This need for change results from the heavy emphasis on three components of the refreshed Main Street Approach.
The 2016 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The 2016 winners are a diverse group in geography and character, but together demonstrate the broad applicability of the Main Street Approach:
Main Street Nation Radio
The first official show under the Main Street Nation banner aired in June 2015 on WJR-760 AM Detroit.
The Path To The Future
The economic value of historic preservation on Main Street.
Refresh Demonstration Project Sites: Learning Labs for the Updated Main Street Approach
A series of demonstration projects providing the opportunity to test new strategies on the ground, learn from practitioners, and refine the approach.
Why Business Retention and Expansion Plans are Important for Downtowns
A business retention and expansion plan, properly implemented, not only helps keep businesses open but possibly even helps them expand.
Wisconsin Main Street: 27 Years of People, Places and Progress
While there have been over $1.2 billion in public and private investment in Wisconsin Main Street communities over the past 27 years, what really makes it special are the people and places that have been involved.
Pop-Up Art Tour
Main Street Bartow's empty storefronts become pop-up art galleries to promote economic development.
A Walk Through Rehoboth Beach Main Street
Although a “beach town,” Rehoboth Beach is open 365 days a year, and with that has the unique challenge of catering to both year-round residents and tourists within a wide range of ages, interests and economic levels
Independent We Stand Makes Main Streets a Priority
In communities across the country, hardworking business owners and buy local advocates come together to foster an organized effort to reinvent and revitalize Main Streets and downtown districts.
Announcing the 2015 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The National Main Street Center is pleased to announce that Cape Girardeau, Mo., Montclair Center, N.J., and Rawlins, Wyo. were selected as the 2015 Great American Main Street Award® (GAMSA) winners.
