Main Street Blog

Main Street Blog

Oklahoma Main Street and Tribal Nations: Fostering Successful Partnerships

November 23, 2021 | Oklahoma Main Street and Tribal Nations: Fostering Successful Partnerships | By: Jenna Temkin, Manager of Marketing & Outreach | Left: Governor Reggie W. Wassana (middle), Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribe, Lt Governor Gib Miles (back), Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribe, and County Court Clerk Marie Hurst (front), Canadian County, Oklahoma, volunteer at El Reno Main Street's Burger Day Festival. Photo courtesy of El Reno Main Street. Right: Okmulgee Main Street unveils street signs in the language of the Muscogee Nation downtown. Photo courtesy of Okmulgee Main Street. Oklahoma is home to the headquarters of nearly 40 federally recognized ...
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Tips and Tricks to Help Make Your Small Business Saturday a Success in 2021

November 19, 2021 | Tips and Tricks to Help Make Your Small Business Saturday® a Success in 2021 | By: Jenna Temkin, Manager of Marketing and Outreach, Main Street America |  Oceanside residents lined the street at the Merry Makers Fair, a free, two-day holiday pop-up market, in 2019. Credit: Road West Photography Small Business Saturday® is just around the corner, and Neighborhood Champions across the country are gearing up to rally their communities around the small businesses at the heart of their downtowns. As many commercial districts continue to feel the impact of COVID-19, Main Street programs have pivoted their traditional Small Business Saturday ...
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Main Street America Institute 2022 Course Calendar Now Available

November 17, 2021 | Main Street America Institute 2022 Course Calendar Now Available | Grow your Main Street revitalization toolbox and get guidance from experts in the field by registering for the Main Street America Institute's (MSAI) Advanced Principles courses . Register here to join us for live online courses offered throughout 2022. Save with our Advanced Principles package! Purchase all five courses by Jan. 10 to receive one course registration free. Visit our course catalog or email msai@savingplaces.org for more information. If purchasing courses individually, use your Main Street America Member discount at checkout. Sustainable Organization ...
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Inclusive Grants for Small Businesses

November 15, 2021 | Inclusive Grants for Small Businesses | As small businesses continue to feel the impact of the pandemic, many still need support keep their doors open. To back underrepresented small business owners as they navigate the pandemic and plan for long-term success and resilience, American Express is partnering with Main Street America to launch a $1.65M year-round grant program called Inclusive Backing.  More than 250 grants of $5,000 each will be awarded in four cycles over 12 months to small business owners in older or historic commercial districts across the country, with priority given to businesses that have been disproportionately ...
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Main Spotlight: Behind the Ribbon Cutting - The Merwyn Building

November 9, 2021 | Main Spotlight: Behind the Ribbon Cutting - The Merwyn Building | By: Kelly Humrichouser, Director of Government Relations, Main Street America |   Strong community partnerships were key to the success of the rehabilitation of the Merwyn building. Photo Credit: ADHDA How do those amazing Main Street rehabilitation projects happen? And what policies and public support make them happen? In the Behind the Ribbon Cutting series, we look at a project or businesses from concept to opening day to break down the partnerships and funding brought to bear and recognize how we can advocate for policies and resources for revitalization across ...
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Community Spotlight: 'WonderFall' Business Decorating Contest Shines Autumnal Spotlight on Local Businesses

November 4, 2021 | Community Spotlight: 'WonderFall' Business Decorating Contest Shines Autumnal Spotlight on Local Businesses | By: Mark Wicks, Community Development Director of Main Street Charles City |  The Rustic Corner was one of 11 participating businesses in the 2021 'WonderFall' storefront decorating contest. Photo courtesy of Main Street Charles City “When you pass by something day in and day out, you tend to forget about it if nothing changes,” said Mark Wicks, Community Development Director of Main Street Charles City in Charles City, Iowa. That's why the Design Committee of Main Street Charles City annually organizes 'WonderFall,' ...
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Main Spotlight: Better Community Planning & Economic Development Series with Ed McMahon

November 3, 2021 | Main Spotlight: Better Community Planning & Economic Development Series with Ed McMahon |  Earlier this year, Leverage NC , a partnership between North Carolina Main Street and the North Carolina League of Municipalities, hosted a four-part webinar series titled Better Community Planning & Economic Development led by Ed McMahon, Chair Emeritus of Main Street America and a leading national authority on land use policy and economic development. This series explored small town economic development and quality of life, how the pandemic has affected real estate and land use practices, asset-based economic development, and redeveloping ...
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Reminder: Sign Up to Become a Neighborhood Champion by November 16

November 1, 2021 |  Reminder: Sign Up to Become a Neighborhood Champion by November 16 | Don't miss the chance to rally your community to Shop Small on Small Business Saturday® and throughout the holiday season by applying to be a Neighborhood Champion ! Main Street America is a proud supporter of Small Business Saturday, and we're thrilled to team up with American Express to help you support small businesses in your downtown.   Applications close November 16 at 4pm EST, so apply today! Plus, stay tuned to our channels for more information on a special Neighborhood Champion opportunity celebrating Main Street communities that ...
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New Webinars for Small Business eCommerce from Square

October 28, 2021 | New Webinars for Small Business eCommerce from Square |  Just in time for the holiday season, our friends at Square are hosting a series of webinars designed to support small businesses in selling safely in person and online! Join Square eCommerce specialist Martin Guerrero in these three upcoming workshops below. Plus! Small business owners who participate will have an opportunity to sign up for a Square Online Professional Plan for free for one calendar year, limited availability per program. See below for full terms. Accepting Payments with Square | Nov. 9 @ 9am CT Square has the tools to run your business — even when ...
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Community Spotlight: 2021 Great American Haunted Main Streets

October 29, 2021 | Community Spotlight: 2021 Great American Haunted Main Streets |  This Halloween season, we challenged our Main Streets to tell us their downtown’s strange sightings, haunted buildings, or other paranormal activities for a chance to be named a 2021 Great American Haunted Main Street. Members shared with us an impressive array of stories, from friendly ghosts haunting theaters to less-than-friendly creatures roaming nearby forests. From this fierce competition of frightening tales, we have selected four of the most chilling stories from Main Street communities across the Network. Prepare yourself for paranormal visitors, murders most ...
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ACT NOW: Help Protect/Save the HTC Enhancements!

October 27, 2021 | ACT NOW: Help Protect/Save the HTC Enhancements! | As Congress is hurriedly working to finalize the bi-partisan infrastructure and reconciliation packages, six proposed enhancements to the Historic Tax Credit (HTC) are at risk of being left out of the final bill. All Main Street and HTC advocates are encouraged to  reach out no later than tomorrow  to express your support for the HTC.    Main Street America and advocates nationwide have been actively reaching out to Congress to convey the potential impact of HTC enhancements over recent weeks. While this reconciliation package has been negotiated over the past few months, these provisions ...
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Together, Again: Virginia Awaits You!

October 26, 2021 | Together, Again: Virginia Awaits You! 2022 Main Street Now Conference Comes to Virginia | By: Zachary Whitlow, Community Revitalization Specialist, Virginia DHCD | City of Richmond, courtesy of Virginia Tourism The Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) Virginia Main Street (VMS) program is excited to co-host the 2022 Main Street Now Conference alongside Main Street America in Richmond, Virginia, May 16-18. Get to know our state, host city and Main Street communities through this special blog series! Virginia is for Lovers In Virginia, we’re all about doing the things you love and making ...
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The Recipients of the T-Mobile Hometown Grants Program

October 21, 2021 | The Recipients of the T-Mobile Hometown Grants Program | From left to right: Check ceremonies celebrating T-Mobile Hometown Grant recipients in Moses Lake, WA, Pittston, PA, and Laurinburg, NC. Photo Credit: Downtown Moses Lake Association, Pittston Redevelopment Authority, and Daniel Walters, City of Laurinburg. Congratulations to the 25 recipients of the first round of the T-Mobile Hometown Grants Program ! Grant recipients will put funds toward revitalizing community spaces that help to build stronger, more prosperous small towns and rural communities. T-Mobile partnered with Main Street America and Smart Growth America ...
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Call for Stories: Historic Tax Credit on Main Street

October 22, 2021 | Call for Stories: Historic Tax Credit on Main Street |  To call attention to the incredible impact the federal Historic Tax Credit can have in downtown revitalization, we are looking for stories of projects on Main Street that have successfully used the Historic Tax Credit. Does you district have a story of development utilizing the Historic Tax Credit? We want to hear it! Tell us about your experience using this form, or by emailing Kelly Humrichouser , Director of Government Relations. TELL US YOUR STORY The Historic Tax Credit (HTC) is an essential tool for Main Street revitalization. Rehabilitation of historic buildings adds ...
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American Express Neighborhood Champion Application Open Today!

October 20, 2021 | American Express Neighborhood Champion Application Open Today! | This holiday season, rally your communities around the small businesses that help make your downtown thrive. Encourage your community to Shop Small on Small Business Saturday® and throughout the holiday season by applying to be a Neighborhood Champion today !    Main Street America is a proud supporter of Small Business Saturday, and we're thrilled to team up with American Express to help you support small businesses on your Main Street as a Neighborhood Champion. All Main Street America members have been pre-qualified to serve as Neighborhood Champions on a ...
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Providing Digital Empowerment to Main Street Entrepreneurs

October 12, 2021 | Providing Digital Empowerment to Main Street Entrepreneurs | Main Street America and GoDaddy are teaming up to provide digital empowerment to business owners around the U.S. Through Empower by GoDaddy, we equip entrepreneurs in communities with training, tools, and peer networks to help small businesses establish and improve an effective digital presence. We invite you to join us in sharing this opportunity with your small businesses and emerging entrepreneurs by forwarding this email or downloading and sharing this flyer with them. The following is included at no cost to businesses: Course content designed to provide ...
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Main Spotlight: Local Instagram Takeovers Share Best Practices and Increase Connectivity Nationwide

October 12, 2021 | Main Spotlight: Local Instagram Takeovers Share Best Practices and Increase Connectivity Nationwide | By: Abby Armato Emporia Main Street, one of six organizations who hosted a Main Street America Instagram Takeover this summer. Photo courtesy of Emporia Main Street. An Instagram Stories Takeover is an easy and exciting way to showcase an organization’s impact to a new and engaged audience. Earlier this summer, Main Street America hosted our first-ever Instagram Stories Takeover, giving six Main Street organizations from around the Network direct access to our Instagram account. This opportunity amplified the impact and successes ...
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Mapping Main Streets: New Directions in Spatial Data

October 7, 2021 | Mapping Main Streets: New Directions in Spatial Data | By: Lauren ("Harper") Harper, GIS Intern, Main Street America | How many Main Street districts are there? How big are Main Streets? How many small businesses are located on Main Streets and how many people do they employ? How many housing units are on Main Streets and who lives there? What is the racial make-up of Main Street business owners? What are the demographics of Main Street districts? Before the Mapping Main Streets project began, we were unable to answer these questions. We lacked a single vital piece of information from all Main Street programs in the network – the ...
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Main Spotlight: Revitalization Possible con Comunidad

October 6, 2021 | Main Spotlight: Revitalization Possible con Comunidad | By: Jessica Jackson Seay, Executive Director, Kendall Whittier Main Street | The mural is called "Selfie Wall" and it was designed and painted by Ghazal Ghazi as part of the Kendall Whittier Wall program in May 2019. She designed it to celebrate women, diversity and nature. The sunset picture was taken in fall of 2020. Credit: Kendall Whittier Main Street Revitalization in Kendall Whittier happened fast. In its first six years, Kendall Whittier Main Street saw $118 million reinvested as 15 façade projects and 61 other building rehabilitation projects were completed. A total ...
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Community Spotlight: Stories of Disaster Preparedness from the National Association For Latino Community Asset Builders

September 30, 2021 | Community Spotlight: Stories of Disaster Preparedness from the National Association For Latino Community Asset Builders | Pictured from left to right: Avenue CDC building reduce-cost modular housing, Carolina Small Business Development Fund's toolkit for small business resilience, and mutli-modal complete streets Franklin Neighborhood Development Corporation. Photos courtesy NALCAB In honor of National Preparedness Month, Main Street America’s  National Park Service Main Street Community Disaster Preparedness and Resilience Program  has been working with their partners and local community leaders to host Takeovers on MSA’s social ...
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