A lively day at Marion’s farmer’s market. The growing season has begun and farmer’s markets around Virginia begin to open this month. A small-farm renaissance is making it easier to buy fresh and buy local. Use the links below to learn more about the variety of offerings at farmers markets in Main Street communities. … More Farmer’s markets abound in 2010
Downtown Blackstone was given the travel treatment by the Washington Post in Friday’s edition. In her article featuring the Robert Thomas Carriage Museum, writer Becky Krystal toured the town and several other important assets, such as Schwartz Tavern and the Virginia United Methodist Assembly Center. The review: positive, and in important ways as well. In her overnight … More Blackstone featured as an escape destination in Washington Post
Virginia Main Street continues the partnership with Virginia Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), bringing the Small Town & Merchant Program to traditional commercial districts. In the workshop, “Staying Relevant to a Changed Customer,” retail expert Marc Willson positions the consumer in the recovering economy and provides real resources and information to help merchants retain existing customers and capture new … More Small Town and Merchant Program brings relevant resources to downtown merchants
Altavista arose in the late 19th century, soon after the regional Virginian Railway extended an east-west line, intersecting with the Southern Railway, a major east coast corridor. The Lane brothers, realizing the commercial opportunity, purchased 2,000 acres at the junction, and proceeded to build Altavista and the Lane Home Furnishings from a fledgling cedar chest … More Altavista’s first historic district
An article in the April issue of Inc. Magazine prompted one more look at that thought-provoking Permuto Discoveries graphic. We’ve looked at drugstores as a anchors on Main Street and at engaging downtown merchants in e-commerce. Now we’ll look specifically at the food, wine, and beer category, with about 57 percent of sales being catalog, telephone, and online sales. (That seems high, but consider specialty – … More Hi ho the derry-o, the farmer has e-mail
Nineteen communities received Milestone Achievement Awards or other special recognition at the Virginia Main Street 25th Anniversary Dinner and Award Ceremony on March 25 in Lynchburg. The 25 Year Club: Virginia Main Street’s Kyle Myer, Bedford Mayor Skip Tharp, Franklin Downtown Association President Victor Story, Winchester Old Town Development Board Member Dave Spence, and Virginia … More Congratulations milestone award winners
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