Board Spotlight: Meet Main Street America’s Three New Board Members
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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“Invention can happen anywhere and it’s happening right now in small towns across America. Rural Americans are creating new products, taking risks, meeting challenges together, and seizing upon exciting opportunities that change local life and sometimes reach far beyond.”
This statement welcomes visitors to the website for Spark! Places of Innovation, a traveling exhibition curated by the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street program. And this summer—as the exhibition begins traveling to small towns in Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, and Michigan, including four Main Street communities—the stories of local innovators in the technical, social, cultural, and artistic spaces will also include those of the Main Street movement.
In addition to highlighting the ingenuity of residents in each community, the 2023/2024 exhibition also features an interactive, audio-visual sequence for visitors to learn about the Main Street Approach and explore the innovative ways that local leaders across the United States have leveraged the Four Points in their downtowns. The profiles include:
Organization: Volunteers are the driving force of the Rawlins DDA/Main Street program. From the launch of the Rainbow Te-ton Entrepreneur Center to installing public arts projects and organizing special events downtown, volunteers make a big impact.
Promotion: Community, culture, and history come together at Zuni Pueblo MainStreet. The nation’s first Native American Main Street program utilizes annual cultural and ceremonial events to preserve and promote the rich heritage of their community.
Design: Main Street DeFuniak Spring’s colorful street banner program creates a welcoming atmosphere and celebrates local heritage. The annual Black History Month banner program honors the contributions of the community’s African American residents.
Economic Vitality: Boyne City Main Street supports a diverse mix of local businesses. Regular engagement with business owners connects these individuals with valuable resources, while seasonal shop local and special events bring shoppers downtown.
Through these audio clips, images, stories, and statistics, individuals throughout the country are learning about Main Street America, our network of innovative leaders, and the importance of sustaining a thriving Main Street core in communities.
Check out the Spark! Places of Innovation exhibition in these Main Street America communities:
July 8, 2023-August 19, 2023: Three Rivers DDA/Main Street in Three Rivers, Michigan
December 2, 2023-January 13, 2024: Downtown Nampa in Nampa, Idaho
January 20, 2024-March 3, 2024: Grand Haven Main Street in Grand Haven, Michigan
February 24, 2024-March 30, 2024: Marshall Main Street in Marshall, Illinois
Learn more about the exhibition and view the full schedule here >
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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.
