Category: Southwest Virginia

2020 Best Public Improvement Project: St. Paul

October 2, 2020

Spanning seven years and seven blocks, St. Paul finally completed its comprehensive downtown infrastructure project in 2019. Lead by the town, with input from St. Paul Tomorrow’s Design Committee in the early stages, this $16 million project reconstructed the stormwater system, sidewalks, curbing, roadways, crosswalks, water lines and sanitary sewer lines. The need for upgrading … More 2020 Best Public Improvement Project: St. Paul

Refreshing Radford and Making Main Street POP!

February 4, 2020

Reprinted from New River Valley Livability Initiative: http://nrvlivability.org/refreshing-radford-and-making-main-street-pop/ Boosting the curb appeal of local shopping and business districts is a cornerstone of any revitalization effort. Radford businesses are currently sprucing up their storefronts all over The River City by taking advantage of a program that aims to help them do just that. Radford POP! is … More Refreshing Radford and Making Main Street POP!

Opportunity SWVA pilots Kiva loan strategy

May 29, 2018

Community development partners across Southwest Virginia are piloting the use of the Kiva crowdfunding loan platform to help small businesses expand and add jobs. Opportunity SWVA, the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem collaborative identified five businesses in need of small loans. Over the next two weeks, the businesses are working to raise a total of $43,000 in … More Opportunity SWVA pilots Kiva loan strategy

Virginia’s Craft Beer Scene is Booming

June 26, 2017

Governor Terry McAuliffe recently announced that Virginia is now home to 206 licensed breweries, a 468% growth since 2012, when the tasting room bill, SB604, passed the General Assembly. A newly released economic impact study shows that Virginia’s booming beer industry contributes more than $9.34 billion annually to Virginia’s economy. “In addition to the direct … More Virginia’s Craft Beer Scene is Booming

Discover What’s “Wythein:” Downtown Wytheville’s Vibrant New Website

October 26, 2016

Main Street program websites come in many shapes and sizes.  The challenge is to create a simple and fresh website that promotes the Main Street organization and local brand while showcasing the unique charm of downtown and all it has to offer. Downtown Wytheville Inc. recently updated their online presence with a website refresh that provides an … More Discover What’s “Wythein:” Downtown Wytheville’s Vibrant New Website

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

Small business training resource

May 17, 2016

Sometimes our downtown business owners are busy minding their shop and cannot attend in-person training. Sometimes they have just an hour during lunch break to take advantage of a short class. Knowing these challenges, the Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator has teamed up with the Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD) and Washington County Virginia Chamber … More Small business training resource

Check the local news stands: Virginia Main Street in Southern Living

August 25, 2015

In the September 2015 issue of Southern Living, you will find a spread highlighting travel destinations across the commonwealth, including a special nod to our beloved Virginia Main Street communities.  Thank you to our partners at Virginia Tourism Corporation.  Web links direct readers to a list of the designated communities and points travelers to the heart … More Check the local news stands: Virginia Main Street in Southern Living