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
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
Guest Blogger Jenny Crittenden, executive director of Gloucester Main Street Preservation Trust, started with Main Street in 2006. Her leadership has inspired key partnerships and implementable growth strategies for Gloucester Village, including the creation of façade and interior improvement grant programs and an annual symphony concert that brings over 2,000 visitors to downtown. As we … More BrewDog, Gloucester Wants You!
On Wednesday, Preservation Virginia released a study measuring the economic impact of 30 years of the Virginia Main Street program. The report documents the Virginia Main Street program throughout the last 30 years. The report has documented the direct economic effects across Virginia Main Streets since 1985, when the program was adopted in Virginia to … More Preservation Virginia Releases Economic Impact Study of Virginia Main Street Program
In the September 2015 issue of Southern Living, you will find a spread highlighting travel destinations across the commonwealth, including a special nod to our beloved Virginia Main Street communities. Thank you to our partners at Virginia Tourism Corporation. Web links direct readers to a list of the designated communities and points travelers to the heart … More Check the local news stands: Virginia Main Street in Southern Living
Building a Resilient Nonprofit Together September 15-16 South Boston, Virginia Behind every exciting Main Street District beats the collective heart of volunteers, entrepreneurs and property owners working together to create an environment of invitation. Every day, residents and visitors are discovering what makes your Main Street their favorite, be it the shops, the food or … More Register Now for the VMS Toolkit – September 15-16 in South Boston
A bakery and cafe, a business catering to pets and pet owners and a massage and wellness clinic will be the newest businesses to open or expand on Main Street following the Launch Gloucester awards ceremony on Tuesday, May 19. Participants in the entrepreneur contest that launched earlier this year also got a surprise element … More Launch Gloucester announces winner of first Community Business Launch
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
Downtown Culpeper’s focus on farm fresh food through the farmer’s market, destination restaurants, and special food themed events has contributed to the revitalization of the historic community. Watch “Meet the Farmer” host Michael Clark talk with community leaders involved in the new vitality of Culpeper. The segment features Culpeper Renaissance, Inc. in a success story that builds on the … More Video: Culpeper’s thriving foodshed
It turns out you do. At least if you are trying to gain traction and trust in the online world. It may seem purely intuitive that bad press or reviews are not good for sales, but this short article from Fortune magazine says otherwise. This article is geared toward online sales, but the idea can … More Who needs all that negativity?
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