Economic Vitality is one of the four pillars of Main Street work, and this spring, Main Street leaders and community partners from across Virginia gathered for the Virginia Main Street Spring Rev Up: Retail and Small Business support to learn new strategies for strengthening their downtown districts. Presented by the Retail Alliance, this year’s Spring Rev Up series was hosted in Pulaski, Lexington, Leesburg, and Cape Charles.
Retail Alliance’s CEO, Jenny Crittenden, and Membership & Relationship Manager, Brandi Zenzel, presented on behalf of the Norfolk-based firm dedicated to retail education and advocacy. Not long ago, Crittenden was walking in the same shoes as the Main Street leaders in attendance. For sixteen years, she led the Main Street Preservation Trust, the Main Street organization in Gloucester, Virginia.
This Rev Up provided insights on how to utilize data to understand your district’s market, learn about the realities of downtown retail leasing and property ownership, and support small business owners at every stage: grand opening, post-launch, and succession planning.
The seminar focused on several key aspects of Economic Vitality, beginning with how Main Street organizations can conduct annual district analyses to better understand their market and identify businesses to recruit downtown. Participants also explored the relationship between property owners and tenants, including strategies for encouraging property owners to prepare spaces for occupancy, recruit strong tenants, and connect businesses with the right locations. The workshop concluded with a discussion on succession planning, helping longtime business owners find sustainable ways to continue their business or simply pass the torch.
The full presentation can be found below.
The Virginia Main Street team wants to give a big thank you to Pulaski on Main, Main Street Lexington, Leesburg Movement, and Cape Charles Main Street for their coordination efforts.
Virginia Main Street hosts Rev-Ups in the spring and fall of every year. The next is scheduled for the week of September 14 through the 18th. These opportunities are open not only to Main Street leaders but also to local representatives, partners, and small business owners.
All Virginia Main Street trainings are posted on the Virginia Main Street website. To be alerted to upcoming trainings, be sure to sign up for both the Virginia Main Street newsletter and the Community Vitality Newsletter.
Virginia Main Street 