In many communities, someone from out of town who is interested in starting a new business can turn to the local Main Street organization for help. The local Main Street organization can often provide square footage, rent and utility costs and introductions to owners of vacant and available storefronts. They can introduce the potential business owner to … More Crowdfunding Main Street
By now, you’ve probably heard of the success Marion Downtown! has had with its small business “Pop Up” Boot Camp entrepreneur program. If you have not, you are definitely missing out on all the excitement! “Pop Up Marion” offers up to $5,000 for aspiring downtown entrepreneurs, offsetting startup expenses like rent and utilities for the first … More Marion Completes Fifth Round of “Pop Up” Marion Boot Camp
As of Jan. 28, 2014, with approval of the city council of the city of Harrisonburg, Downtown Harrisonburg has adopted the designation of a Downtown Culinary District. Harrisonburg is the first city in Virginia to receive this designation. Several factors contributed to the recognition of Harrisonburg’s Downtown Culinary District. Many large, food-related businesses, including City … More Downtown Harrisonburg Named Virginia’s First Culinary District
Retaining and growing existing businesses and encouraging the development of new businesses are primary goals of every Main Street organization. Here is how some of Virginia’s Main Street communities are working to strengthen and diversify their downtown business communities. Marion Downtown Revitalization Association (MDRA) is wrapping up the third round of its “Pop-Up Marion” Small Business … More Bringing New Businesses to Main Street
In these tough economic times when communities are struggling to retain existing businesses and to prevent more storefronts from closing up, attracting new businesses that will create new job opportunities is extremely challenging. Many communities are working hard to overcome these ills by creating an environment that fosters entrepreneurship. Research has shown that small businesses … More Economic Gardening Strategies
While caught up in the details of drafting board by-laws, choosing downtown bench designs, training volunteers or coordinating downtown merchant coffee hours, it is easy for Main Street board and committee members and staff to forget that the primary goal of the Main Street organization is the economic redevelopment and revitalization of the local … More Believe in Bristol Opens Downtown Entrepreneur Ideaspace
This past spring, DHCD’s Virginia Enterprise Initiative awarded six innovation grants to help develop new and innovative techniques for cultivating and assisting micro-entrepreneurs. Three of the awardees (Bristol, Staunton and Waynesboro) are specifically targeting micro-entrepreneur development in their local Main Street districts. Staunton Creative Community Fund, in Staunton, will continue to build off of its strong … More Main Street Communities Partnering for Entrepreneur Development
Congratulations to Hebah Fisher, program director at Community Investment Collaborative, who was recently recognized in C-Ville Weekly’s “The Power Issue” as one of the movers and shakers in Charlottesville. The 22-year-old Fisher has worked tirelessly and passionately to establish the Community Investment Collaborative, a new micro-enterprise development organization in Charlottesville that is training its first … More CIC Program Director Recognized
No matter its size or product lines, every retail business must constantly work to create an attractive and inviting shopping environment. Here are a few tips from Entrepreneur.com to keep the customers coming. 1. Make the windows shine – “Just like your eyes are the windows of your soul, store windows are the eyes of … More Secrets to Good Store Layout
Entrepreneurs are the lifeblood of the economy. They’re innovators, experimenters and risk takers, the driving force behind capitalism’s “perennial gale of creative destruction,” in economist Joseph Schumpeter’s evocative metaphor. So says Chris Farrell in this week’s Bloomberg Businessweek. But Mr. Farrell goes on to remind us that entrepreneurs are not only young, brash, rule breakers. … More Entrepreneurs. Better with age?
Virginia Main Street 