Guest blogger Sue Ross, Executive Director of Berryville Main Street, has 10 years of Main Street experience and recently returned to Berryville to lead a refreshed program, creating new partnerships and an enhanced marketplace. Berryville Main Street turned 25! We celebrated with bluegrass, local food, and friends in a restored downtown dairy barn. Started in 1992, … More Berryville Main Street Celebrates 25 Years
Small rural communities often get discouraged either because they feel they are “too small” to make effectual changes in a slow economy or the revitalization needs of the community just seem too overwhelming. Not so for the inspirational town of Water Valley, Mississippi. According to this article, a couple who fell in love with the people in this … More Can-Do Spirit Equals Success
Virginia’s thriving wine industry is boosting the state’s economy and local Main Street districts alike with a total impact of approximately $1.37 billion annually, according to a newly released economic impact study. This figure is an increase of 82 percent from the last study conducted in 2010. “…one of our top agriculture goals was to make Virginia … More Main Street and Wine; a Great Pairing
Guest Blogger Jenny Crittenden, executive director of Gloucester Main Street Preservation Trust, started with Main Street in 2006. Her leadership has inspired key partnerships and implementable growth strategies for Gloucester Village, including the creation of façade and interior improvement grant programs and an annual symphony concert that brings over 2,000 visitors to downtown. As we … More BrewDog, Gloucester Wants You!
Governor McAuliffe recently announced over $200,000 in Building Entrepreneurial Economies (BEE) grant awards for eight projects in the Commonwealth. The BEE grant program provides funding to local governments and nonprofit organizations for entrepreneurship programs aligned with local and regional economic development strategies, primarily in distressed communities and populations. “Small business development is a vital component … More Building Entrepreneurial Economies (BEE) Grants Awarded
There’s no better time to visit Main Street then the holidays. Winter celebrations bring revelers together to enjoy light shows, caroling and special shopping experiences with local merchants. There is a magic to shopping on Main Street that simply doesn’t exist at the mall. We can feel good about our shopping because keeping the cash register … More Shop Local, Support Local with HuTerra and Virginia Main Street
On October 25, 12-1 PM, Virginia Main Street is offering a free webinar with everything you need to know about getting organized and catalyzing investment for real change. How do you take your downtown vision from concept to reality? The vision establishes the ultimate target toward which all Main Street efforts are directed, and it requires that major … More Webinar: Creating Your Community Transformation Strategies – Oct. 25
Did you know that the cultural heritage tourist typically spends more and stays longer than other types of U.S. travelers? Preservation Virginia is co-hosting the 31st annual Virginia Preservation Conference in Charlottesville, an event that draws 200 community leaders, developers, architects, local planning officials and others from across the Commonwealth. Following the release of the … More Make the Most of Heritage Tourism in Virginia
Our hearts are deeply connected to our communities, so we want to be part of the decisions that impact our community’s future. They can affect our quality of life, job opportunities, public health and most of all, our families. But, how do we become part of that decision making, a real participant that impacts direction? … More Create a Stronger, More Cohesive Community
How can your local Main Street program better use limited resources to create vibrant, people-centered places? The Main Street Approach has been a successful model for older commercial district revitalization for more than 35 years and is used to revitalize and manage downtowns in more than 2,000 communities across the U.S. The Four Point approach offers … More Three Steps to Refresh Your Main Street Strategies for Visible Results
Virginia Main Street 