On November 3 and 4, the Virginia Downtown Development Association (VDDA) hosted their annual conference, this year focusing on sustainability in a traditional downtown environment. The conference was held in Charlottesville, where the 40 participants were able to witness first-hand the benefits of employing “green” development strategies. Charlottesville is committed to having a green downtown … More Greening Your Downtown
In a new series of blog entries, we’re highlighting Main Street merchants — the entrepreneurs who create jobs and care for historic structures in our traditional commercial districts. To share the successes of one of your merchants, contact Doug Jackson. Pufferbellies, a shop specializing in top-notch service to the next generation of Main Street customers, offers a … More Main Street Merchant Profile: Pufferbellies
Bedford’s arts-and-antiques strategy to give Centertown a retail identity builds on the community’s existing assets–the entrepreneurs who have establisthed retail and restaurant businesses in the district. Earlier this month Lynchburg’s News and Advance featured the district in a story, “Downtown Bedford venues add life to arts scene“, profiling artists at work at the Electric Company studio spaces, diners … More Bedford’s arts strategy at work
The November/December issue of Preservation magazine features a first-hand account from this week’s Main Street Merchant — Old Town Warrenton’s Brian Noyes (“The Truck Stops Here“). Mr. Noyes, a pasty chef (and former Preservation art director) owns the Red Truck Bakery, a rehabilitated 1921 Esso filling station. The pastries have been written up in the New York Times. The … More Main Street Merchant Profile: Red Truck Bakery
The special landing page says it nicely: The classic American Experience is alive and well in Botetourt County. The link http://www.downtownsofbotetourt.com delivers visitors to a special introductory page of the county’s tourism webite, listing upcoming events and links to three historic downtowns: Buchanan and Virginia Main Street affiliates Troutville and Fincastle. The site looks great and functions … More Sense of place marketing: Botetourt historic downtowns
Virginia has 21 designated Main Street communities, all of whom are accredited with the National Trust Main Street Center. One requirement for accreditaion is holding an active membership with the Center. And it’s more than just a box to check off; the membership brings access to valuable resources. Membership is open to anyone interested in revitalization … More Make the most of your Main Street Center member resources
Fast Company recently highlighted the award designed for this year’s graduating class at the top Dutch design school. Instead of a simple hood or diploma, The Design Academy Eindhoven has a special graduating trophy each year. This year, the trophy was actually a set of medallions–one for each of the graduates–that created a pig’s head when stacked. It’s not as undignified as … More Making your work uniquely you
The Virginia Enterprise Initiative (VEI) will hold informational workshops highlighting partnership and funding opportunities that can extend training, technical assistance, and capital to Virginia’s next wave of very small and emerging businesses. VEI, Virginia’s micro-enterprise initiative, provides financial resources to nonprofit organizations that specialize in the delivery of training, support, technical assistance, and loans to … More Virginia Enterprise Initiative Workshops
Culpeper, Virginia just received some good press after it unleashed its new shop local campaign, Be a Culpeper Local. The campaign combines educating the nearly 50,000 Culpeper County residents on the value of buying locally with a website, beaculpeperlocal.com that directs visitors to local shopping and dining options, specials, and a way to track how much … More Be a Culpeper Local
One of Virginia Main Street’s most prized relationships is the one we have with Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC). We often plan our strategies to complement theirs and they often ask us what’s going on downtown that they can use to better market Virginia. They believe in Virginia’s historic commercial districts as tourist attractions to the … More Virginia Tourism is way ahead of the pack…again.
