November 2010

Main Street Merchant Profile: Lynchburg’s Accents Flags and Gifts

November 30, 2010

Merchants make the Main Street, and Lynchburg’s Accents Flags and Gifts proves the point. Deborah Fears Keeling, owner of the 21-year old business, has been involved in Lynch’s Landing, the city’s Main Street organization, for seven years. But this year, she says, the events and cooperative marketing strategies have really taken off. In January, Lynch’s … More Main Street Merchant Profile: Lynchburg’s Accents Flags and Gifts

Harrisonburg Gift Blitz promotes merchants and extends Black Friday specials

November 29, 2010

Downtown Harrisonburg merchants have pulled together in a cooperative promotional strategy that offers an alternative to the typical Black Friday rush. This year, Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR) and the Merchants of Historic Downtown Harrisonburg (MHDH) structured a weeklong blitz of downtown shopping to highlight the best in gifts that the district has to offer. Nearly 30 … More Harrisonburg Gift Blitz promotes merchants and extends Black Friday specials

Main Street Communities Bring History to Life

November 22, 2010

From the first American colonies to the modern college town, many Virginia communities have a rich history to share. Two VMS communities have recently been recognized for transforming aspects of their pasts into valuable assets for their downtown neighborhoods. Berryville Main Street has received the Virginia Downtown Development Association’s 2010 Building Development and Improvements Award of … More Main Street Communities Bring History to Life

Sustainability in Your Community: Main Street Center Member Resources

November 17, 2010

The National Trust Main Street Center has adopted sustainable development as a key issue in 2010. The Center takes a holistic approach to sustainability, encompassing not just green building but economic and social sustainability as well. The Center provides a variety of resources to help you make sustainability a reality in your community: Free Publications … More Sustainability in Your Community: Main Street Center Member Resources

Virginia’s quarter century communities featured in Main Street Now

November 16, 2010

In celebration of Virginia Main Street’s 25th anniversary year, Main Street Now, the magazine of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Center, recently profiled the three communities that have maintained VMS designation throughout the quarter century. Over that 25 years, the communities – Bedford, Franklin, and Winchester – have navigated rocky economic terrain with strategies that make the most … More Virginia’s quarter century communities featured in Main Street Now

Greening Your Downtown

November 12, 2010

On November 3 and 4, the Virginia Downtown Development Association (VDDA) hosted their annual conference, this year focusing on sustainability in a traditional downtown environment. The conference was held in Charlottesville, where the 40 participants were able to witness first-hand the benefits of employing “green” development strategies. Charlottesville is committed to having a green downtown … More Greening Your Downtown

Main Street Merchant Profile: Pufferbellies

November 5, 2010

In a new series of blog entries, we’re highlighting Main Street merchants — the entrepreneurs who create jobs and care for historic structures in our traditional commercial districts. To share the successes of one of your merchants, contact Doug Jackson. Pufferbellies, a shop specializing in top-notch service to the next generation of Main Street customers, offers a … More Main Street Merchant Profile: Pufferbellies

Bedford’s arts strategy at work

November 2, 2010

Bedford’s arts-and-antiques strategy to give Centertown a retail identity builds on the community’s existing assets–the entrepreneurs who have establisthed retail and restaurant businesses in the district. Earlier this month Lynchburg’s News and Advance featured the district in a story, “Downtown Bedford venues add life to arts scene“, profiling artists at work at the Electric Company studio spaces, diners … More Bedford’s arts strategy at work

Main Street Merchant Profile: Red Truck Bakery

November 1, 2010

The November/December issue of Preservation magazine features a first-hand account from this week’s Main Street Merchant — Old Town Warrenton’s Brian Noyes (“The Truck Stops Here“). Mr. Noyes, a pasty chef (and former Preservation art director) owns the Red Truck Bakery, a rehabilitated 1921 Esso filling station. The pastries have been written up in the New York Times. The … More Main Street Merchant Profile: Red Truck Bakery