Our guest blogger is Luray Downtown Initiative (LDI) Executive Director Meredith Dees. She is a Luray native and recently returned after a career experience in Denver, CO overseeing regional retail operations for a yoga brand. Any Main Street manager will tell you that as soon as they hear the words “road construction” or “street closures” … More An Evening on the Bridge: Luray’s Hometown Fundraiser
** Guest blogger Katey Warren, Tourism PR specialist, Harrisonburg Tourism and Visitor Services The tourism offices and downtown Main Street partners of Harrisonburg, Luray and Waynesboro, along with Massanutten Resort and Shenandoah National Park, have banded together to create the Mountains 2 Main Streets Passport Program, a regional initiative that engages and rewards Shenandoah Valley visitors. The … More Mountains 2 Main Streets
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
This past February, Virginia Main Street awarded seven Downtown Improvement Grants ranging from $6,000 to $25,000. The grants are intended to help local Main Street organizations implement economic restructuring strategies that will have measureable local and regional economic benefits, establish and strengthen partnerships in the community and increase the capacity and involvement of local Main Street … More 2012 Downtown Improvement Grants Awarded
Governor McDonnell recently announced that the Virginia Tourism Commission (VTC) will award $635,000 in matching grants to 35 local tourism initiatives. The grants, which require a 3-to-1 match, will help local and regional entities attract visitors by leveraging local tourism marketing dollars. Several designated Virginia Main Street (VMS) communities and their partners will receive grant funds. … More Tourism Marketing Grants Announced
The Sunday, April 5 edition of the Richmond Times-Dispatch had several articles of note about Virginia Main Street communities. First was an article about Abingdon’s latest downtown promotion, then an article about Page County’s (including Luray) attempt to be designated as the “Cabin Capital of Virginia.” Then yet another article, this one talking about the … More Virginia’s Main Street in the news
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