Transformation Strategies are an integral part of the Main Street Approach. These strategies are unique to each downtown district and can be a powerful tool for a Main Street organization. They highlight a downtown product and/or service and a target consumer base to draw from / market to. Local demographic and retail market data, along … More The Power of Transformation Strategies

On behalf of Governor Glenn Youngkin and First Lady Suzanne S. Youngkin, the Southside Community Development and Housing Corporation (SCDHC) recently received the Spirit of Virginia Award for their consistent work in creating viable, thriving, and sustainable communities within Central Virginia. The Spirit of Virginia Award was established in 2022 to salute persons or organizations … More Southside Community Development and Housing Corporation Receives Spirit of Virginia Award

Last month, local Main Street directors from across the state gathered in Wytheville, Virginia for the 2023 Virginia Main Street (VMS) Director’s Retreat. Hosted by Downtown Wytheville, Inc. (DWI), the event offered three days of learning, networking and energizing camaraderie! There was a tour of the historic Millwald Theatre, which recently reopened to the public … More Wytheville Hosts 2023 VMS Director’s Retreat

At the heart of Main Street are the people who make it happen! Volunteers are a vital part of a Main Street organization as they offer essential insight, credibility, and capacity. However, finding great volunteers and keeping them on board can be a challenge.   In a Main Street America Institute course on Advanced Principles of … More Growing Your Grassroots: Volunteer Recruitment and Retention 

On Tuesday, March 7, Mayor Alonzo Jones, Ken Larking, City Manager, Diana Schwartz, Executive Director for the River District Association (RDA), and other local leaders cut the ribbon at 206 North Union Street for the “Plan Danville” storefront. “The City of Danville wanted to invite the general public to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony to … More Danville’s Storefront for Community Vision Planning

Lifestyle amenities such as the availability of outdoor recreation options, the opportunity to experience the bounty of agricultural producers, and a thriving downtown district with outfitters, restaurants, and locally owned shops are no longer just focused on tourism. Increasingly job creators are looking for those place based assets that make a community unique and will … More Where Trails, Agritourism, and Main Street Meet

During the month of February, the Virginia Main Street (VMS) team published seven blog posts, highlighting the latest community vitality-related news, events and more! Here’s a recap: VMS Community News: Grant Project Examples: Grant Advice: Homeownership: Looking Back: Finding Main Street Training Resources: Stay tuned for lots more great content in March!

The COVID-19 pandemic placed an overwhelming strain on small businesses and for minority-owned businesses, that already face a number of barriers to resources, the need for support has been all the more pressing. Knowing the challenges Black and Brown business owners face in surviving the pandemic, the Metropolitan Business League (MBL) applied for a Virginia … More Resurgence in Richmond’s Arts District

The historic Blackstone College for Girls, which was attended by Bea Arthur, and former Virginia United Methodist Assembly Center (VUMAC) property in Blackstone, Virginia has been transformed into a chic, modern-industrial boutique hotel with 100+ rooms and plenty of amenities for local residents and guests to enjoy! What used to be a private, religious school … More Blackstone Welcomes New Boutique Hotel