How can your downtown function better for residents, merchants, and visitors? And how do you identify opportunities in the physical environment to make your town a destination, drawing customers and revenue to the area? On Oct. 11, 17, and 18 in Bristol, Blackstone and Gloucester, the fall edition of the Regional Rev Up promises to … More Regional Rev Up: Opportunity Analysis – Effective Design
Who knew you could support your local businesses from the luxury of your own couch? Don’t let that stop you from shopping in person in one of America’s most charming towns. Bristol, Tennessee/Virginia has been named ShopOnMain’s most “Charming Town” in America and will now be featured in an upcoming episode of the TV series “Small … More Seek the Unique and shop Downtown Bristol!
** Guest blogger Susan Howard, Executive Director, Abingdon Main Street As the director of Abingdon Main Street, I am very fortunate to have three other designated Virginia Main Street communities, Bristol, Marion and St. Paul, each less than an hour’s drive from Abingdon. The proximity of our communities and their cultural similarities have allowed us to explore … More Local Main Street Communities coordinate for regional benefit
Over the next 18 months, an entire block of Bristol’s Main Street district will be transformed into a destination hospitality complex centered around a new 70-room luxury boutique hotel called the Sessions Hotel. The project by Creative Boutique Hotels (CBH), which includes Hal Craddock, Cornerstone Hospitality and MB Contractors, will span nearly the entire 800 … More Entire block of Bristol’s Main Street district to become boutique hotel
Designated Virginia Main Street communities have seen more than $741 millions of private investment since 1985. Private investment on Main Street ranges from the replacement of awnings or a new door to multi-million dollar rehabilitation or construction projects. In 2013, major construction projects added or will soon add new commercial, residential, educational and entertainment venues … More Major construction projects in Virginia’s Main Street districts
Believe in Bristol is partnering up with the Main Street programs in Abingdon and Marion for a shop local campaign that will be launched over the holidays and last throughout the next year. It is a campaign that focuses on the importance of buying local and supporting the small businesses in our communities. Kenneth Heath, executive director … More Bristol, Abingdon and Marion Main Street Programs partner for a regional shop local campaign
Last fall a 9,000-square-foot commercial building was demolished in the heart of a Main Street district in Virginia to create more parking. The loss of the building permanently erased a piece of the architectural history and character of the historic downtown. It also opened up a 35-foot-long hole in the urban fabric of the historic … More Historic Preservation on Main Street
Retaining and growing existing businesses and encouraging the development of new businesses are primary goals of every Main Street organization. Here is how some of Virginia’s Main Street communities are working to strengthen and diversify their downtown business communities. Marion Downtown Revitalization Association (MDRA) is wrapping up the third round of its “Pop-Up Marion” Small Business … More Bringing New Businesses to Main Street
While caught up in the details of drafting board by-laws, choosing downtown bench designs, training volunteers or coordinating downtown merchant coffee hours, it is easy for Main Street board and committee members and staff to forget that the primary goal of the Main Street organization is the economic redevelopment and revitalization of the local … More Believe in Bristol Opens Downtown Entrepreneur Ideaspace
This past spring, DHCD’s Virginia Enterprise Initiative awarded six innovation grants to help develop new and innovative techniques for cultivating and assisting micro-entrepreneurs. Three of the awardees (Bristol, Staunton and Waynesboro) are specifically targeting micro-entrepreneur development in their local Main Street districts. Staunton Creative Community Fund, in Staunton, will continue to build off of its strong … More Main Street Communities Partnering for Entrepreneur Development
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