Bristol, TN/VA is a unique place. “Two States; One State of Mind” is their motto, but navigating two sets of building regulations, garbage pickups, tax codes and general government type operations can get a bit confusing. However, Christina Blevins, executive director of Believe in Bristol, Bristol’s Main Street organization, bridges the gaps everyday in a positive, … More Gentlemen of the Road stopover in Bristol
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?
The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond (FRB) recently posted an issue of Marketwise Community, a web publication which highlights community development best practices and emerging issues that impact communities in the southeastern United States. The current issue, New Alternatives in Small Business Financing, addresses small business lending in the wake of the recession. The message … More Resources for Small Business Financing
While the typical New Year’s resolution is abandoned somewhere around the long Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend, there is a certain feeling of “anything’s possible” in the air during these first few weeks of January. Now really can be a good time to set some goals. Go ahead, think big. If you don’t stretch yourself to do … More New Year’s Resolution Poll
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
Is your economic restructuring committee effective? Challenges like recruiting businesses and interpreting expensive and technical market studies discourage eager volunteers. There’s no immediate result after hours of meetings and planning. Pressure to see results from business owners, local government and the community compounds the frustration. It’s easy for this committee, in particular, to go inactive. Main Street organizations all over America … More Designing a Marketplace
On Sep. 22 and 23, Advance Abingdon hosted 70 downtown revitalization professionals and volunteers from across Virginia for a training and knowledge share of best practices in the organization and promotion of downtown revitalization efforts. National Trust Main Street Center Senior Program Officer Kathy LaPlante, a nationally recognized expert on community based downtown revitalization, presented … More Downtown leaders cover Main Street Essentials at Abingdon training
Nestled at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains and located on the edge of the Washington, D.C. suburbs, the Town of Purcellville has worked to maintain the small town characteristics that have defined the community for centuries. New downtown construction projects and infill developments fit right into the local, historic charm. This achievement made the town the … More VDDA Hot Topic Luncheon focuses on traditional downtown design
As a Main Street organization, gaining the confidence and support of your local merchants isn’t easy, especially when it comes to downtown events. Closing the street can impede the access of loyal customers to their favorite shops. Hoards of event guests asking to use the shop’s bathroom can frustrate owners. It can add up to strained relations with the … More Before, during, and after-event tips for downtown merchants
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
Virginia Main Street 