Category: Economic Restructuring

Shop Local, Support Local with HuTerra and Virginia Main Street

October 31, 2016

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

Virginia Main Street Regional Rev Up: Advancing Main Street Momentum with Good Data

October 17, 2016

On November 1, 3, and 4 in Wytheville, Culpeper, and Farmville, the fall edition of the Regional Rev Up promises to load your downtown revitalization kit with the tools you need to develop market-based revitalization strategies.   The business of Main Street is constantly evolving.  New challenges and opportunities are always presenting themselves. If we … More Virginia Main Street Regional Rev Up: Advancing Main Street Momentum with Good Data

Webinar: Creating Your Community Transformation Strategies – Oct. 25

October 14, 2016

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

Governor Announces Virginia Entrepreneurial Challenge

October 3, 2016

Governor Terry McAuliffe has announced that he is partnering with Virginia Commonwealth University and Junior Achievement of Central Virginia to host the Virginia Entrepreneurial Challenge on Saturday, Oct. 15 and Sunday, Oct. 16 at the VCU School of Business. The challenge will be a weekend-long entrepreneurship boot camp for high school juniors and seniors. The … More Governor Announces Virginia Entrepreneurial Challenge

Make Your Downtown an Easy Target for New Business

August 25, 2016

Why should an entrepreneur choose your downtown for a new location?  Selling your community to prospective entrepreneurs is challenging without the information they need to make location decisions. Throughout the last few years, Kansas’ Emporia Main Street refined an attractive and easily updateable business investment guide to help make the choice that much easier.  The guide sells … More Make Your Downtown an Easy Target for New Business

Give your local artists the business tools for success

August 18, 2016

When we talk about entrepreneurship, so often artists can be left out of the conversation. The Staunton Creative Community Fund (Staunton Fund) has been examining entrepreneurship through the lens of artists. Wrapping up the spring with a Bach n’ Roll Roundtable, the Staunton Fund brought together stakeholders to talk about needs and ideas for growing … More Give your local artists the business tools for success

Three Steps to Refresh Your Main Street Strategies for Visible Results

August 10, 2016

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

Three Upcoming Opportunities to Rev up Your Downtown Revitalization Efforts

August 8, 2016

Is your downtown ready for new businesses and residential investment? In order to meet new challenges and ensure a strong Main Street, communities need ongoing training.  Whether the community is just getting started with Main Street activities or well-seasoned in managing a prosperous commercial district, staff and volunteers need different skills in different phases of … More Three Upcoming Opportunities to Rev up Your Downtown Revitalization Efforts

Tips for a Wonderful Experience at Downtown Intersections, Staunton, Virginia

July 6, 2016

Guest Blogger Julie Markowitz, director of Staunton Downtown Development Association, started with Main Street in 2006, armed with 10 years of experience in mall marketing and promotions. Staunton Downtown Development Association is delighted to host the first inaugural Virginia Main Street Downtown Intersections workshop in Staunton, Virginia on July 11-13, 2016. Welcome to Staunton, Main Street … More Tips for a Wonderful Experience at Downtown Intersections, Staunton, Virginia

Staunton Has a Story to Tell: Celebrating 20 years of Main Street

June 24, 2016

How would your Main Street organization celebrate years of making downtown a social and investment hub? As a kick-off to their 20-year anniversary, the Staunton Downtown Development Association (SDDA) hosted “Staunton Stories,” a one-day event to celebrate and document the people that make downtown Staunton a dynamic and diverse community. The event was held at … More Staunton Has a Story to Tell: Celebrating 20 years of Main Street