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For the past three years, I have put together a series of annual predictions covering the work of Main Streets and our anticipated impacts on the small businesses that make up the fabric of our downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. Making predictions is always a risky proposition, but with great humility, I hope this can be valuable for thinking ahead and planning around the likely issues, topics, and shifts in the coming year. I will also take some time to examine my predictions from last year, which you can read here.
Looking back, this past year in many ways represented a slowing pace of change and settling into new norms. This could be called a cautionary time, in which all the talk around recessions and inflation made for decreasing consumer confidence environment and shifting spending priorities. Here are the miss, win, and push predictions from 2023.
While the exuberance for a return to in person shopping in 2022 didn’t go away, it certainly settled into a more normal growth pattern, much like the 2020 e-commerce growth came back down to earth in 2021. However, much of this shift in 2023 was driven by changes in consumer spending moving emphasis from retail to services, including personal services, leisure, and—of course—fixing all the things that were bought during the pandemic. If you traveled last year, you likely noticed this shift firsthand. To demonstrate how dramatic this spending shift was, according to the OAG Company, the number of flights was up by 137 percent from 31,661 flights in 2022 to 75,161 in 2023! And while overall revenue for retail was up for the year, November 2023 data continued to highlight many of the shifts throughout the year, as much of the growth was from online shopping, restaurants, and bars.
Some key 2023 retail sales highlights:
Small businesses need to continue to diversify revenue streams with e-commerce and by adding a service element.
While I missed the mark on bricks and mortar retail sales, I was spot on with the shift to more services. Much of this shift was found in leisure travel, restaurants, and bars…despite the prevalence of inflationary pressures in both!
First, restaurant spending and openings grew: Diners spent more on restaurants this year, and many restaurants opened to meet the increased demand. Diners spent about 7 percent more on restaurants this year, with an average check total of $22.46. The number of restaurants that opened across the US totaled 10,608, about 6 percent more than in 2022. (Source: BentoBox’s 2023 Restaurant Trend Report)
Hotelier Marriott said global room demand from leisure travelers in the first quarter of 2023 was 10 percent above 2019 levels. And Southwest Airlines said its quarterly operating revenue by the end of June was above pre-pandemic levels. Placer.ai data also showed personal care services like beauty and fitness spending far outpacing overall retail spending through the first half of 2023.
Many retailers have reacted to this trend line by focusing on new service offerings. We are moving to a place in which businesses are offering retail goods, services, and data monetization as part of their overall strategy (Source: Beyond Retail).
While places like Skowhegan, Maine, and Emporia, Kansas, aren’t yet competing with Silicon Valley and the Research Triangle, there were a lot of waves generated in the entrepreneurial ecosystem space as a growing segment of the broader community and economic development field. In 2023, Skowhegan grew their new entrepreneurial center, received support funding from the Maine Technology Institute, and most recently, received U.S. Economic Development Administration Recompete program funding to the tune of $425,000. The initial success of Maine Downtown Center’s pilot entrepreneurial ecosystem work that resulted in a Senate direct appropriation through U.S. Small Business Administration to expand this work to 10 other Main Street Programs.
Great strides were made, but we’ll consider it a win when national media and conferences begin to call out and feature Main Street communities as models for small and mid-sized community small business support systems.
Distinctions between brick and mortar and online sales have become far blurrier as physical stores continue to seek growth in online transactions as part of their revenues, and purely online stores seek out real estate plays.
By separating these sales categories, we are creating a competition that doesn’t need to exist. Salesforce predicted that bricks-and-clicks businesses will outpace brick and mortar or e-commerce only businesses by 1.5 times.
Winning Main Street small businesses will be those that craft a business model that creates in-store experiences where consumers want to engage with the purchase, share social time, create a memory, etc. At the same time, small businesses should move products and services that are purely transactional— delivery, in-store pick-up, etc—to more online formats in which consumers prefer convenience.
The bricks-and-clicks evolution has resulted in an ever-decreasing average square footage in U.S. retail. Given that most of our Main Street businesses are in fixed size buildings that are difficult to break into smaller storefronts, retailers will need to find ways to creatively generate increased traffic and fully utilize their spaces.
One solution is adding additional services as part of the retail revenue model or vice versa, adding products to the service business. Research from Square and Wakefield found that 59 percent of consumers are likely to buy an item from a restaurant or retail store that isn’t a part of its main offering. Mixing retail and services provides additional reasons for consumers to come into their stores, a more diverse mix of customers, and differentiation from pure e-commerce businesses.
Rather than trying to populate via a standalone pop-up location, Main Streets and other place-based programs can leverage existing small businesses as event spaces and pop-up locations for new businesses seeking market exposure. This format creates a number of win-win scenarios with consumers benefiting from new shopping opportunities and a great density of activity and engagement.
In my work, I have seen a significant gap between how younger generations access information and the marketing and communication tools utilized by Main Street businesses. To engage this younger demographic, businesses need to continue to shift social media usage from platforms like Facebook to places like TikTok and communication engagements from email and e-news to SMS.
Data is showing that younger generations are spending a greater portion of their resources on experiences. A June 2023 report from Experian revealed that 63 percent of Gen Z and 59 percent of millennials would rather spend money on “life experiences” like travel and concerts that they can enjoy right now, rather than save up for retirement.
Each generation's spending habits vary significantly. Unfortunately, that means marketing to each and considering product inventory and experience can be complex. For example, looking at retail marketing, many small businesses have become accustomed to posting pictures on Facebook and Instagram. However, there is great segmentation emerging in social media marketing. TikTok’s top demographic (21 percent) is 18-24 year-olds, and that age group makes up 34 percent of Snapchat users. Facebook skews older, with 29.9 percent of their market made up of the 25-34 age group (Source: Sprout). As such, retail advertising will transition to higher levels of personalized content and on distinct channels, referred now to as direct-to-consumer (D2C).
For the past several decades, direct-to-consumer marketing has been focused on social media, email, traditional advertising, and leveraging influencers. But as consumers become overwhelmed with messages, SMS is rising to the top. According to Gartner, SMS boasts an open rate as high as 98 percent and a response rate as high as 45 percent. This makes SMS for retail one of the highest-performing marketing strategies. Benefits of SMS for retail include improved customer engagement, increased customer acquisition, and soaring sales rates.
Keep an eye on WhatsApp as well. WhatsApp's popularity in the US has steadily grown over recent years. In 2019, approximately 68.1 million US mobile phone users accessed WhatsApp. The figure has since grown and was projected to reach around 85.8 million users in 2023. WhatsApp's largest demographic is 18 to 34 years old. And WhatsApp is the dominate player in Latin American and Asian business. This fact further aligns with US population and small business growth whereby Latino and Asian American are the fastest growing racial and ethnic demographic segments.
Throughout 2023, we saw artificial intelligence (AI) create headlines for its potential for wonderful economic innovation and productivity. Global and large national retailers began to focus and incorporate it to improve everything from their marketing to supply chains.
For the small business owners, 2024 becomes the year when more Main Street small businesses use AI in two primary ways.
As with any new technology there will be early adopters among Main Street businesses, with thousands more to follow.
Check out a discussion on the benefits of AI in our Grow with Google Tools webinar >
It was only seven years ago that I attended my first E-Ship Summit hosted by the Kauffman Foundation. It was truly inspiring, but I remember wondering, “where is the discussion around the importance of PLACE in ecosystem building?” Fast forward, there has been much progress in this area—much of it through the great work of local Main Street ecosystem builders. Taking this idea one step further, I’m predicting in 2024 that we will see more attempts to create greater synergies between our efforts at using place both as a focal point of hyperlocal small business ecosystems, but also the tangible real estate and programming that takes place in our downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts and the more high-tech/manufacturing sector ecosystems focused on unique forms of capital infrastructure, talent agglomeration, and sector infrastructure.
This intersectionality has two primary macro drivers.
Economic development has become highly dependent on human capital. Given mobility within high-propensity ecosystems, human capital is seeking quality of place as they have more choices where to live and work.
In an "age of dispersion," in which nearly anything can be done online, people are demonstrating a natural yearning for community engagement and human interaction.
Logical intersections of these two focused ecosystems will center on:
While the “age of sispersion” has created wonderful opportunities to work (remote work), shop (e-commerce), educate oneself (online learning), and even receive medical advice (telemedicine), it has also resulted in the demise of real community and connection.
For decades, Americans reported spending about six and a half hours a week with friends. But from 2014 to 2019, it suddenly dropped by 37 percent, to four hours a week. There are growing concerns around the impacts of loneliness and isolation on mental and physical health. One in five Americans reported feeling lonely or socially isolated often or all the time in 2018. One study found the rate of loneliness among young adults rose almost every year between 1976 and 2019. In a 2019 YouGov poll, 22 percent of millennials reported having no friends at all.
Third spaces are important gathering places where people can create and build community in both public and private spaces–and they can often be found in our downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. Historically, we found third spaces in coffee houses, breweries, libraries, and even salons/barbershops. In 2023, I have noticed retailers and service providers picking up on the need for third spaces to expand their businesses. For example, walk into Blanco Creek Boutique, a women’s clothing store in Tucumcari, New Mexico, and you’ll find a large sitting area where you can sip on Jackalope Coffee. According to the owner, the coffee shop and clothing store used to be separated, but she saw the opportunity to provide a value-added experience for her customers through community building.
In 2024, I anticipate that this strategy will continue, as well as more hosted instore events designed to foster spaces where customers can connect, share, and engage with the brand and one another. This sense of community is not only enriching the shopping experience but also driving brand loyalty, turning customers into brand advocates.
I’m a big believer that innovation occurs at the crossroads of people’s different backgrounds and experiences. While these are just some of my thoughts based on visiting with many of you, your businesses, and your communities throughout the year, I encourage you to reach out to us at info@mainstreet.org and share your own observations as well. We will continue to monitor these trends and predictions and incorporate our findings and your experiences into evolving and adaptable planning tools for your Main Street program's continued resiliency.
If you’re interested in learning more about small business trends and Main Street impacts, listen to the upcoming Season 2 of the Main Street Business Insights podcast. The first episode will air on January 31 wherever you listen to your podcasts.
Community Heart & Soul, a Main Street America Allied Member, is this quarter's Main Spotlight advertiser. For more information about the products and services they provide to Main Street organizations, click here >
In this episode, host Matt Wagner sits down with Dale Sexton, owner of the legendary Dan Bailey's Outdoor Co. in Livingston, Montana.
Livingston, Montana © Jake McGlothlin
Join host Matt Wagner for his conversation with Mallory Dabney, owner of Heyday, a home goods store in Bozeman, Montana.
November is entrepreneurship month! Here are three benefits of supporting small businesses in your community.
Join host Matt Wagner for his conversation with Patrick Jackowski and Matt Horne, the duo behind Firehouse Coffee 1881, a thriving coffee shop housed in a firehouse in historic Fort Monroe, a decommissioned military compound located in Hampton, Virginia.
In this episode, Matt reveals the data-driven trends that will define the 2024 holiday shopping season—and shows you exactly how to leverage them for your small business.
As we approach this milestone celebration, we've compiled 15 creative ways for Main Street and downtown leaders to make this year's Small Business Saturday truly special.
Calling all small business owners: tell us about the wins you've had in 2024, the challenges you face, and the types of support from the Main Street America network that would help you most. Take our latest survey today!
Raton Adventure Centre in Raton, New Mexico © Brenda Ferri
Join host Matt Wagner as he welcomes Kaycee McCoy, co-owner and creative lead at Pawsnickety Pets in Norfolks, Virginia. Kaycee and her best friend, Shizuka Benton, launched the all-natural and organic pet supply business in Norfolk at the start of the pandemic, but have used their combined talents to keep the business growing and thriving over the last four years.
Join host Matt Wagner as he welcomes David West, director of Premier Retail Marketing and based in Adelaide, South Australia.
The application opens in early October and will remain open until mid-November, or until all the spaces are filled.
In this episode, Matt chats with Tee Rowe, the President and CEO of America’s Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC).
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt interviews Patrice Hull, the owner of Stuff We Wanna Say Custom T-Shirts and Apparel and c2bn / Created to be Noticed, based in Atlanta, Georgia.
Creating real change in business ownership starts with local communities leading the way, backed by strong partnerships and collaborations.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sat down with Mindy Bergstrom, owner of Cooks Emporium, Nook & Nest, Z.W. Mercantile, and The Recipe, all located in downtown Ames, Iowa.
Our Research team shares the results of the Spring 2024 Small Business Survey, with insights related to small scale manufacturing in Main Street districts, opportunities to best support entrepreneurs, and more.
The Dalles, Oregon © Alicia Gallo
This specialized learning experience, sponsored by U.S. Bank, combines interactive classroom sessions and a hands-on course project to equip local leaders with insights, strategies, and a a distribution-ready small business guide to foster entrepreneurship, support small business owners, and retain local businesses. Registration closes on Friday, August 30.
A storage container storefront in Jasper, Alabama. © Ryan McGill-Blanton Media Group
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sat down with Kristin Smith, owner and founder of The Wrigley Appalachian Eatery in Corbin, Kentucky.
Led by our Small Biz Digital Trainers, participants will learn how to master their digital presence to grow their businesses and build community.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt talks with Joshua and Jared Ravenscraft, co-founders of New Frontier, a sustainable apparel brand in Morehead, Kentucky.
Shop crawls are a great way to introduce people to your small businesses. Fredericksburg Main Street loves to host shop crawls, and this spring, they tried a new model: the flower crawl.
If the economic vitality of your downtown is on your mind, Main Street America Institute’s Supporting Small Businesses on Main Street course for you! This specialized learning experience, sponsored by U.S. Bank, will give you new insights, tools, and strategies to foster entrepreneurship, support small business owners, and retain local businesses. Registration closes on Friday, August 30.
Crema Brew Coffee is a locally-owned coffee shop in New Bern, North Carolina. © Swiss Bear
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt talks with Mileyka Burgos-Flores, CEO of the Allapattah Collaborative CDC in Miami, Florida.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt chats with Ross Chanowski, owner and founder of NuMarket. NuMarket is a leader in crowdfunding solutions for small businesses with a focus on food services.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt talks with Ebenezer Akakpo, a designer and jeweler who owns Akakpo Design Group and Maine Culture in Westbrook, Maine.
American Express and Main Street America announced the 500 small business owners who have been awarded $10,000 through the Backing Small Businesses grant program.
In this conversation, Matt explores the story of Elements: Books Coffee Beer, nestled in the heart of Biddeford, Maine, with co-owners Katie Pinard and Michael Macomber.
We are asking small business owners across the country to share their perspectives on the opportunities and challenges they're facing as summer approaches.
New Morning storefront in Biddeford, Maine © Heart of Biddeford
Matt Wagner, Ph.D., breaks down how context and outreach can help you build a stronger market analysis.
In this special episode of Main Street Business Insights, recorded in front of a live audience during the Main Street Now Conference, Matt sat down with Alycia Levels-Moore, owner and founder of ASL Creative Firm and POLARIS, an event and co-working hub, based in Birmingham, Alabama.
Urban Impact Inc., harnesses strategic investments and collaborative efforts to foster a vibrant and sustainable future, from visionary adaptive reuse ventures to transformative development grants for small businesses and property owners in Birmingham, Alabama's historic 4th Avenue Black Business District.
In the last episode of season two of Main Street Business Insights, tune in as host Matt Wagner breaks down how to understand and synthesize local market data.
Sterling Main Street launched a brick and mortar retail incubator spaces. Executive Director Janna Groharing shares lessons they learned about organization, fundraising, and outreach.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Glen Ellis, owner of Sycamore Education, Dominion Catalyst Services, and Milady Coffeehouse in Fremont, Nebraska.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Jaime Courtney, President of Shoalwater Seafood, Derek King, Oyster Farm Director of Shoalwater Seafood, and Shane Thomas, Tribal Council Vice Chair of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe.
Sarah Cole, owner of Abadir’s in Greensboro, Ala., was a 2023 Backing Small Businesses grantee. Abadir’s is a pop-up eatery specializing in seasonal and wholesome baked goods influenced by Egyptian traditions and flavors combined with inspiration from true Southern cuisine.
In this episode of the Main Street Business Insights podcast, Matt sits down with Casey Woods, Executive Director of Emporia Main Street in Emporia, Kansas.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Nicole Fleetwood and McKinzie Hodges, co-owners of Scratch Made Bakery in Amarillo, Texas.
Tylisya Gober, owner of Barbie Behavior Boutique in Oak Park, Mich., was a 2023 Backing Small Businesses grantee. Barbie Behavior is a women’s clothing boutique specializing in celebrity-inspired attire.
Tiffany Fixter, owner of Brewability in Englewood, Colorado, was a 2023 Backing Small Businesses grantee. Brewability is an inclusive brewery and pizzeria that employs adults with disabilities to brew craft beer.
We’re excited to announce that Main Street America will continue to offer virtual and on-demand small business training in 2024 through an evolved program, the Small Biz Digital Trainers program.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Jennifer Jones, co-owner of Good Times Coal Fired Pizza and Pub in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Tiffany Fixter, owner of Brewability, an inclusive craft brewery and pizzeria that employs adults with disabilities based in Englewood,
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Bobby Boone, founder and Chief Strategist of &Access. Based in New Orleans, La., &Access creates data-driven and design-centric retail real estate solutions for historically excluded entrepreneurs and under-invested neighborhoods.
New Orleans, Louisiana © Bobby Boone
Tasha Sams, Manager of Education Programs, shares highlights of phase one of the Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (E3) in Rural Main Streets Program and the biggest takeaways from the workshop experiences.
In this video, learn more about the Williams’ family story, how the business is helping to revive downtown Helena, and the impact they’re having on a national level.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Janet Hurn, co-founder of Future Ready Consulting in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Cincinnati, Ohio © Janet Hurn
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Derrick Braziel, owner of Pata Roja Taqueria and co-founder of MORTAR, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Matt Wagner, Ph.D., shares his predictions for the trends impacting small businesses in 2024.
A podcast featuring some of the best advice we heard from entrepreneurs and community leaders across the country.
Our research team shares the results of the Fall 2023 Small Business Survey.
Learn how local entrepreneurs have leveraged the power of a Main Street community to establish, maintain, and grow their ventures.
Learn how this organization is uplifting business owners and preventing displacement.
Charlotte, NC © Pixabay
Small Business Saturday is an important opportunity to show your support for local businesses. We asked business owners across the network what your support means to them.
Laramie, WY © Laramie Main Street Alliance
Meet the latest recipients of the Backing Small Businesses Program from American Express!
Matt sits down with Jamie and Jerry Baker, co-owners and founders of Trendy Teachers, a teaching boutique and educational toy store located in downtown Rome, Georgia.
This holiday season, rally your communities around the small businesses that help make your downtown thrive.
Small Business Saturday is Nov. 25! Check out these five strategies to celebrate shopping small.
Middlesboro Main Street in Middlesboro, Ky., Puerto Rican Cultural Center in Chicago, Ill., and Sugar Creek Business Association in Charlotte, N.C., have each been awarded $100,000 through The Hartford Small Business Accelerator Grant Program in partnership with Main Street America.
Matt sat down with Anette Soto Landeros, co-owner of Casa Azul Coffee and President and CEO of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Fort Worth, Texas.
Matt Wagner sat down with Danny Reynolds, president and owner of Stephenson's, an independently owned high-end fashion retailer in downtown Elkhart, Indiana.
Matt Wagner sat down with Harvey Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of Delta Dirt Distillery in Helena, Arkansas.
Learn how the Little Santo Domingo neighborhood of Miami is working with the Truist Foundation to strengthen pathways to small business ownership.
© Allapattah CDC
Get ready to support your small business owners and encourage people to shop small this November!
Matt Wagner sat down with the CEO of Keith McDonald Plumbing in Milledgeville, Ga., Lindsay Goodson McDonald.
Learn how the South Carolina Coordinator Program is uplifting small businesses across the state with their dedicated e-commerce platform.
© Main Street South Carolina
Matt Wagner sat down with The Barbershop Conversation podcast team, co-hosts Kenneth Bentley and Davion Hampton along with executive producer Emory Green Jr., in Goldsboro, Florida.
From a cat cafe to a computer repair shop and museum, check out these innovative small businesses from across the Main Street network.
© Historic Valley Junction
This three-week live, online course will prepare local leaders to more effectively work with small business owners in their districts and create an environment that is supportive of entrepreneurship.
© Notice Pictures
Main Street America has a podcast! Tune into Main Street Business Insights to hear from small business leaders across the country.
Meet the 2023 recipients for the Backing Small Businesses grant program, presented by American Express, to provide financial support to small business owners to address critical needs and make a positive impact in their local communities.
In partnership with Grow with Google, our digital coaches will work with businesses in their home states, with a focus on those that operate in small towns and rural communities.
Congratulations to these innovative Shop Small events from across the Main Street network.
Stockbridge, GA © Stockbridge Main Street
Spencer Main Street's Main Street Micro Grants is injecting key funding into their small business ecosystem.
Spencer, IA © Spencer Main Street
Check out a deep dive into the results of our Spring 2023 Small Business Survey, plus insights to help inform the work of local leaders supporting entrepreneurs on Main Street.
Meet the communities who have been chosen to receive entrepreneurial support from Main Street America and the Kauffman Foundation.
We spoke to Debbie Ho, Executive Director at Chinatown Main Street, to learn about the history of women in Boston Chinatown.
Boston, MA © Kyle Klein
From program budgets to big achievements, here's the latest data on the Main Street Movement in 2023.
Franklin, TN © Brandon Jean
Learn how Downtown Inc and York County Economic Alliance are supporting marginalized small business owners in their community
York, PA © Sully Pinos
Meet Backing Small Businesses grantees Kim and Chris Casteel of Anew Life Prosthetics and Orthotics based in Detroit, Michigan.
Short stories about small business owners from Evart, Michigan.
Evart, MI © Storyville
Matt Wagner looks back at his small business predictions for 2022 and shares predictions for 2023.
Learn about the City of Boston’s efforts to invest in economic equity.
Learn how this West Virginia community redirected façade improvement funds to revive local commercial kitchens.
Matt Wagner wrote an article for the OECD blog on how can small business owners can combine digital tools with the power of place to find sustainable success.
Inspired by a session at the 2022 Main Street Now Conference, Main Street Ottumwa has launched the Business Builder Academy, an entrepreneurship course to help aspiring business owners start their ventures.
Ottumwa, IA © Main Street Ottumwa
Whether you are a seasoned American Express Small Business Saturday Neighborhood Champion or an entrepreneur joining this national movement for the first time, we’ve gathered a roundup of resources to support your “shop local” marketing efforts.
We spoke to three women who were awarded Inclusive Backing grants to learn more about their passions, their businesses, and their advice for other women.
Wixom, MI © Carissa Serylo
From social media scavenger hunts to downtown passports, the Main Street network has used countless innovative ways to encourage their communities to Shop Small®—and had plenty of fun doing it.
Oceanside, CA © Road West Photography
Main Street Franklin is leading the way in showing how women business owners can be a powerful force for change in their communities.
#EquityRising, Old Algiers Main Street Corporation's new job training program, seeks to combat rising cost of living by helping residents train for careers that will allow them to stay in their neighborhood.
Learn how the Small Business Census pilot project explored the demographics of the small businesses that call Main Street districts home.
Colville, WA © Colville Together
We spoke to three Black business owners who were awarded Backing Small Businesses grants from Main Street America and American Express to better understand their challenges, successes, and the kinds of support that have helped them the most.
Camden, AR © Kimberly Moore Davis
Main Street leaders and local development practitioners from around the world participated in this exciting webinar hosted by the OECD.
Learn how Silver City MainStreet is using Story Hours to connect local business owners with the community.
Silver City, NM © Silver City MainStreet
Main Street Skowhegan opened their new Skowhegan Center for Entrepreneurship, a downtown space for co-working, meeting, entrepreneurial support, trainings, and education.
Skowhegan, ME © Kristina Cannon
Main Street America is proud to support the Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act
Main Street America's research team shares the results of the 2022 Small Business Survey.
© JENNIFER E. WOLF
Learn about Show of Hands, an entrepreneurial program in multiple Main Street communities.
Wheeling, WV © Wheeling Heritage
Chief Program Officer Matt Wagner, Ph.D., shares his predictions for the trends affecting small businesses in 2022.
Is your Main Street ready for the biggest small business shopping day of the year?
Main Street Charles City organizes their annual 'WonderFall' event, a business decorating contest designed to have some fun with the autumnal season as well as provide a reminder of the importance of curb appeal in attracting the public’s attention.
Charles City, IA © Mark Wicks
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.
Main Street Arkansas has brewed a new engaging way for tourists and residents alike to explore local Arkansas commercial districts: the Main Street Arkansas Coffee Trail.
Little Rock, AR © Main Street Arkansas
Matt Wagner explores how Main Streets can navigate workforce concerns in the post-pandemic economy.
We spoke with two Black entrepreneurs in UrbanMain commercial districts: L. May Creations in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago and The Four Way in south Memphis, Tennessee.
Memphis, TN © Four Way
Heart of Biddeford shares the strategies they developed to support Black-owned businesses in their community.
Biddeford, ME © Heart of Biddeford
We heard from organizations across the nation about the incredible impact their markets have had on community engagement, entrepreneur and small business support, and keeping their district vibrant.
The global pandemic gave us all a glimpse of a further dispersed future – a time when you don’t sit in a classroom at school, watch movies in a theater, or even go to the grocery store. Where do Main Streets fit in that model?
The COVID-19 pandemic has long-lasting effects on the economy. Here are 11 changes that small business owners should continue to remain competitive.
This May marked the 100th anniversary of the Tulsa Race Massacre in the Greenwood neighborhood of Tulsa, Oklahoma. We explored the impact and legacy of this tragic event.
Tulsa, OK © Dr. Tiffany Crutcher
Learn about the various programs and initiatives that Fremont is using to promote inclusive economic development.
Fremont, CA © Fremont Economic Development
BDOs are place-based organizations that help small businesses and entrepreneurs to flourish. They have been on the frontline of support for the country’s hardest-hit entrepreneurs throughout the pandemic and have been working to enable thriving commercial corridors throughout the crisis.
Matthew Wagner, Ph.D., Chief Program Officer at Main Street America, was featured on Breaking Down Barriers: a podcast from Startup Space highlighting stories of community leaders who break down barriers to entry for underserved and unrepresented entrepreneurs.
A vacant storefront is the perfect stage to creatively promote the available space or to showcase other businesses and events in the area.
Ripon, WI © RetailWorks, Inc
We heard from 289 business owners in 35 states plus the District of Columbia in our new text message-based survey of small business owners across the network.
The Batavia Boardwalk Shops are freestanding, purpose-built structures acting as seasonal pop-up locations for entrepreneurs, offered in tandem with a business incubator program.
Batavia, IL © April Duda Photography
For Black History Month, we want to recognize and celebrate the Black business owners and entrepreneurs who have overcome challenges and obstacles in launching and running their own businesses, thanks to resilience, creativity, and hard work.
As a vital place factor within an entrepreneurship ecosystem, pop-up programs allow for emerging businesses to test their product, gain consumer feedback, and promote their brand at an extremely low cost. In essence, allowing for a ‘fail-fast’ product development cycle.
Asheville, NC © Ablohkin
In early December, as the COVID-19 crisis intersected with a peak moment in the holiday shopping season, we surveyed small business owners and Main Street programs to learn more about how they were managing.
© Cindy Shebley
New research by Main Street America suggests greater returns on our missions and resources can be had by transitioning to more deliberate economic vitality work centered on cultivating new business development from within our own communities and neighborhoods.
Fredericksburg Virginia Main Street (FVMS) is taking storefront activation to a new level with their new initiative, the Scan & Love Project, which tells the stories of business owners through personal and engaging videos.
Meet a recipient of the HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program
Meet a recipient of the HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program
Meet a recipient of the HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program
Meet a recipient of the HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program
Meet a recipient of the HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program
Meet a recipient of the HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program
Meet a recipient of the HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program
Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance explores how they redesigned their Bricks & Clicks Business Retention Program during the pandemic.
Meet some amazing women business owners!
Read the results of our survey aimed at understanding how business owners are managing the recovery from COVID-19 and responding to recent protests and social unrest related to police violence against Black Americans.
Our research team dug into some of the data about the state of Black-owned businesses on Main Street, the structural challenges they face, and how Main Streets can support them.
Matt Wagner explores how the pandemic may affect the shop small holiday weekend.
COVID-19 has led to a rise in remote working. How can small and rural towns leverage this shift to create vibrant local economies?
Detailed findings from our follow-up survey on the impacts of COVID-19 on small businesses to better understand the continued challenges businesses face as the crisis evolves.
How does psychology impact the recovery of our downtowns after the COVID-19 pandemic?
Small Business Saturday® is more than a day to shop. It’s a nationwide movement that shines a spotlight on the importance of supporting small businesses in communities across America.
The Town of Benson started a special project to highlight their downtown businesses.
The Berkley Downtown Development Authority (DDA) proudly debuted its Downtown Berkley Shopping Bag for a Cause through a partnership between Better Life Bags.
Supporting new and existing small businesses, and the entrepreneurs who run them, represents a vital aspect of the revitalization of downtowns and neighborhood business districts.
The Equitable Economic Development Fellowship is a two-year, one million-dollar effort funded by the Surdna Foundation and the Open Society Foundations to help equity, transparency, sustainability and community engagement become driving forces in local economic development efforts.
The Jefferson Rotary Club partnered with Jefferson Matters: Main Street to offer mini-grants for building facades and storefront signage to two dozen businesses for up to $500 each.
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) partnered with Retailworks, Inc., a commercial interior design, display and branding firm headquartered in Milwaukee, to launch Wisconsin’s Main Street Makeover Contest.
Kelly Tompkins of Main Street Enid shares more about the Maker Trail project and how it inspired creativity and helped people discover downtown.
Too often, as we’re strolling our favorite Main Street, we pass empty or dark shop windows that make us want to hurry home a little bit faster. Imagine instead, a charming streetscape adorned with vibrant, lively window displays, showcasing retailers’ favorite products and seasonal gift ideas.
Small Business Saturday promo pic from Downtown Goldsboro, North Carolina, showing all the folks who took the pledge support a small business in their community.
We’ve put together a practical list of some of the things that local store owners can do right now to help them capitalize on this increasing trend in local searches.
From authentic comfort food to farm-to-fork fresh and everything in between, these restaurants, bars, and cafes are key to the thriving social, business, and residential life in the historic commercial districts in Main Street Iowa communities.
Located in southeast Kansas, Independence (pop.8,799) is home to Fab Lab ICC, which is on track to be the world’s leading innovator in combining entrepreneurial mindset education with a fab lab maker space.
The craft beer industry is playing a key role in the rebirth of Main Streets and neighborhood commercial districts across the county.
Appealing to mobility-challenged shoppers yields benefits beyond the store.
Being the only person in the know can be fun, exhilarating even. Except when you are the one person out of 600+ in a room and you know bad news is coming.
Fritz the dog has made his way into the hearts of the residents of LaBelle, Florida, and helped our Main Street Community find a way to make what we do more noticeable.
Altavista On Track, the local Main Street organization, is working to cultivate and sustain local entrepreneurs with an educational business launch competition, Pop-Up Altavista 2.0.
In Winchester, Virginia, one woman’s vision and commitment to downtown’s revitalization created an innovative community space for the Creative Class.
A business retention and expansion plan, properly implemented, not only helps keep businesses open but possibly even helps them expand.
The first rule of conducting business is “make it simple.” The easier it is to pay for merchandise, get entertainment or obtain a service, the more likely it is that people will take advantage of those options.
Main Street communities across the country are no stranger to seeking creative strategies to solve their most nagging issues – vacant buildings, marketing downtown, bolstering retail to name a few.
To understand the role that immigrant business owners play in Boston’s small business ecosystem, you need only to walk through any Boston Main Streets district.
Façade appearance is a critical aspect of the overall aesthetic appeal and unique character of downtown.
A lot of signs are necessary to make a downtown work well, but not every community knows what a good sign system looks like, or how instrumental it can be to the creation of a successful downtown.
Main Street Iowa, a program of the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Iowa Downtown Resource Center, created a one-of-a-kind three-year program to provide help for performance venues located in Main Street districts.
