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
On March 25, the commonwealth will officially celebrate 25 years of Main Street revitalization at Lynchburg’s Craddock Terry Hotel. The anniversary dinner will combine special acknowledgement of the quarter-century mark with the annual Milestones Award ceremony. The event will feature special guest speaker Chuck D’Aprix, president of The Downtown Entrepreneurship Project, dinner and live music. … More VMS to Celebrate 25 Years
This month, the Virginia Municipal Leagues’ magazine, Virginia Town and City, features a cover story on the revitalization of Downtown Marion. The subhead reads: “Downtown success story wasn’t written overnight,” and the article, by Marion Downtown Revitalization Association Executive Director Ken Heath, stresses the deliberate, step-by-step approach the community has taken to bring visitors downtown to … More Marion’s revitalization path highlighted by municipal league
“You have to ask yourself….are you the hawk, or are you the ground squirrel?” The question kicked off the 2010 Virginia Main Street Manager’s Retreat at Radford’s Selu Retreat Center last week. Eighteen Main Street program managers from across the commonwealth gathered for a day and a half of focus on mission-based financial management. And while the Main … More Hawk or ground squirrel?
Just as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival anchors a comprehensive and lively arts scene in the City of Ashland, Oregon, the American Shakespeare Center has sparked greater investment in the performing arts as an economic tool in the Shenandoah Valley community of Staunton. Soon, in addition to menu of Shakespeare at the Blackfriar’s Playhouse, community leaders hope to offer visitors contemporary … More Staunton’s strategic arts investment and the power of community
Downtown Blackstone, Inc. (DBI) has been full of activity this holiday season, successfully coordinating retail promotions and image building events. The Second Annual Downtown Holiday Open House kicked off the season November 27. Following the Grand Illumination in the town park, DBi drew crowds into downtown by coordinating activities with the local merchants, such as carriage rides, choral … More Blackstone holiday events keep local elves busy
Downtown Culpeper’s focus on farm fresh food through the farmer’s market, destination restaurants, and special food themed events has contributed to the revitalization of the historic community. Watch “Meet the Farmer” host Michael Clark talk with community leaders involved in the new vitality of Culpeper. The segment features Culpeper Renaissance, Inc. in a success story that builds on the … More Video: Culpeper’s thriving foodshed
We’re turning over the space today to Jeff Curtis, director of the Orange Downtown Alliance for some tips on rallying downtown merchants for an effective training. One of the recurring issues addressed in our Business Development Committee meetings has been customer service, or more specifically, the lack of it. It’s an important issue for any community, and especially … More Guest Blogger: Orange’s Jeff Curtis on rallying Main Street around customer service training
As part of a downtown commercial revitalization course at Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Main Street intern Margaret Barre and her colleagues have developed a revitalization strategy for the community of Ashland. The real-world case study ended in a presentation to the Town Council. Watch the NBC-12 news video to learn more about the student’s strategic … More Video: VMS Intern Margaret Barre’s downtown revitalization effort featured in news
Virginia Main Street 