Warrenton has earned more than 25 years of wisdom as a Virginia Main Street Designated Community. In 2017, their Main Street program celebrated a reboot, a new “booster club” and mantra: Experience Old Town Warrenton. To get there, the first thing the community leaders did was invite all stakeholders to be proactive participants in the … More The Heart of the Revitalization Process: Community Engagement
What can your Main Street program do to make downtown more of a destination for locals and visitors? Would a punch list of key actions be helpful? With today’s market, Main Street communities are happily positioned for a resurgence. As a Main Street advocate, having a plan to ride that wave and make your downtown … More Practical, Low-cost Ideas to Make Your Downtown A Destination
Governor Terry McAuliffe recently announced that Virginia is now home to 206 licensed breweries, a 468% growth since 2012, when the tasting room bill, SB604, passed the General Assembly. A newly released economic impact study shows that Virginia’s booming beer industry contributes more than $9.34 billion annually to Virginia’s economy. “In addition to the direct … More Virginia’s Craft Beer Scene is Booming
The National Main Street Center recently announced that 24 Virginia Main Street communities have been accredited for their performance in 2016 – congratulations to – Abingdon, Altavista, Ashland, Bedford, Berryville, Blackstone, Bristol, Culpeper, Danville, Farmville, Franklin, Fredericksburg, Gloucester, Harrisonburg, Hopewell, Luray, Lynchburg, Manassas, Marion, St. Paul, South Boston, Staunton, Winchester, and Wytheville The Main Street … More Main Street America Accredits 24 Virginia Communities
Guest Blogger Jeff Curtis, Executive Director of the Orange Downtown Alliance since 2008, has been involved in economic and community development for over 40 years, working in local government, chambers of commerce, and Main Street programs. Recently, Board members of the National Main Street Center (NMSC) convened in Orange, VA to host a public … More Secrets of Successful Communities
After decades of market preference for suburban development, Main Street and downtowns are hot again! Back in the market, they are once again desirable targets for investment, business startups, expansion, the creative economy, housing, and tourism. So, how do we sustain that momentum, take advantage of the attention, and keep the revitalization progress moving forward? … More “Booster Rockets” For Downtown Revitalization Momentum
Governor McAuliffe recently announced that the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) received a national tourism industry award for its work promoting the Virginia Oyster Trail, a new initiative connecting travelers with Virginia’s oyster farms, raw bars, wineries, restaurants, artisans, and downtowns like Urbanna, Cape Charles, and Chincoteague. VTC was recognized with the prestigious National Council of … More Virginia’s Award Winning Destination Tourism
Guest blogger Sue Ross, Executive Director of Berryville Main Street, has 10 years of Main Street experience and recently returned to Berryville to lead a refreshed program, creating new partnerships and an enhanced marketplace. Berryville Main Street turned 25! We celebrated with bluegrass, local food, and friends in a restored downtown dairy barn. Started in 1992, … More Berryville Main Street Celebrates 25 Years
In Main Street districts, one of the best ways to fill vacancies, and prevent new ones, is to foster a setting that is attractive to entrepreneurs and where small businesses can thrive. The buzz word nowadays for that setting is “entrepreneurial ecosystem,” which refers to the elements outside the individual that encourage entrepreneurship and increase the probability … More Creating a Successful “Entrepreneurial Ecosystem”
Virginia’s thriving wine industry is boosting the state’s economy and local Main Street districts alike with a total impact of approximately $1.37 billion annually, according to a newly released economic impact study. This figure is an increase of 82 percent from the last study conducted in 2010. “…one of our top agriculture goals was to make Virginia … More Main Street and Wine; a Great Pairing
Virginia Main Street 