Small businesses in Luray, VA are thriving due to the efforts of the designated Virginia Main Street (VMS) community’s revitalization organization, Luray Downtown Initiative (LDI). Excitingly, the organization received a $10,000 grant from the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) VMS program that allowed LDI to provide local merchants with “Back to Business” grants, helping 10 downtown businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic through direct and immediate relief and recovery assistance. 

“We must do everything we can to keep our small businesses so that we have the solid foundation to attract and develop new ones. I have seen so much creativity and innovation from our entrepreneurs in downtown over the past few months, it’s inspiring. LDI is proud to be a part of moving our community forward and helping our businesses through this tough time.” – Meredith Burke Dees, Executive Director, LDI

LDI believes downtown Luray remains the heart and soul of the community, and small business owners and entrepreneurs are the fabric that makes downtown unique. That notion drove LDI to also partner alongside the Town of Luray to help fund no-interest relief loans for struggling businesses. Working together, LDI and the Town of Luray were able to provide $2,500 no-interest loans to merchants located in the designated downtown district, further increasing the community’s ability to help businesses during difficult times. It’s yet another example of local government and Main Street programs coordinating efforts to support the lifeblood of local economies, small businesses. 

Here are a few small businesses that LDI supported through “Back to Business” grants, as well as examples of the unique offerings in downtown Luray that people can plan to visit during their next trip through Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley: