The Virginia Main Street staff does a lot of travelling each year and that travel can be hard on the stomach. Luckily, we know that when we arrive, the local hospitality of our destination Main Street communities will be evident, and the top rate dining choices will be numerous. While having an office day, we … More Vote for the top 25 Virginia Main Street “Downtown Dining Destinations”
The Virginia Department of Historic Resources has listed the downtown historic district in Gate City, VA on the Virginia Landmarks Register. According to the official announcement: The Gate City Historic District, in Scott County, is a five-block district that emerged as a vital commercial hub for the surrounding countryside beginning in the 19th century. While settlement in the … More Gate City downtown historic district gets Virginia listing
This is just a reminder: thank those who make what you do possible. “Thank you” is one of those simple must-dos, one so simple, in fact, that we sometimes overlook it. And it’s too bad, because showing the sincere appreciation of an organization, the people who run it, and the people who benefit from it is a … More Thank you, thank you, thank you.
For fund development efforts, Main Street organizations have no better tool than the Internal Revenue Service’s designation as a 501 (c) 3 organization. Lately some communities have struggled for it, trying hard to clarify the nuances of how Main Street groups pursue their goals so that they are not designated as economic development or membership organizations. … More Main Street organizations and nonprofit status
When you think about it, Main Street is an easy sell. Supporting local merchants, caring for older buildings, and maintaining community character all have a feel-good quality; instinctively they’re the right things to do. And the community of volunteers and stakeholders who make it happen sell it the best. With inexpensive technology and free hosting … More I want my M(ain Street)TV
What happens when you team artists with local arts, culture and social organizations and task them with creating an innovative street gallery in vacant storefronts? On June 25, Staunton visitors and residents will find out, as a month-long exhibit opens in the empty windows along Beverley Street. For a downtown braving a major construction project, … More Staunton’s storefront art initiative
Historic preservation is gaining popular recognition as a “green” practice connected to broader sustainability goals. After all, reuse of a historic building is fundamental recycling. From a national perspective, the National Trust for Historic Preservation has created a Sustainability and Historic Preservation Web resource for homeowners, Main Street communities and preservation planners. Now Virginia can … More Virginia Preservation Toolkit, a green guide?
If you were asked to describe an entrepreneur, what words would you use? Maybe terms like “bright, energetic, or magnetic.” This 2004 article in the aptly named magazine Entrepreneur, gives a whole host of other terms, not all of them complimentary. Two descriptions of an entrepreneur that most people would not use are “ex-felon,” and … More The unexpected entrepreneur
If your travel budget didn’t allow you to connect with peers from across the country in Oklahoma, you can still take a little time out of your day this afternoon or tomorrow to virtually attend one these upcoming presentations from the National Main Streets Conference taking place now in Oklahoma City. Just visit the Web site at the designated time … More Be a virtual attendee at the Main Streets conference
Last Thursday, at the Virginia Main Street 25th Anniversary Milestone Achievement Awards, keynote speaker Chuck D’Aprix spoke about the importance of making your downtown attractive to entrepreneurs. One way to do this is to focus on the quality of the experience rather than the quantity of products you sell. In short, it is difficult to compete … More Quality v. quantity
