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Southern Delaware is affectionately known by locals as Slower-Lower Delaware (or Lower-Slower, depending who you ask). Last month, I visited Rehoboth Beach with my family for a week at the Atlantic shore. While there, I was able to fit a visit with Rehoboth Beach Main Street Executive Director Krys Johnson in to my busy schedule of building sand castles, eating boardwalk fries, shopping the boutiques, and reading under an umbrella. Believe me, there is nothing “slower” about Rehoboth Beach Main Street!
Although a “beach town,” Rehoboth Beach is open 365 days a year, and with that has the unique challenge of catering to both year-round residents and tourists within a wide range of ages, interests and economic levels. The Rehoboth Beach Main Street area encompasses the entire downtown, from the main thoroughfare, Rehoboth Avenue, and its side streets, to the ocean-front boardwalk. It follows that businesses are as varied as their environs—souvenir shops hawking plastic shovels, painted hermit crab shells and t-shirts, coexist with candy shops, independent book stores, trendy home goods boutiques and high-end jewelry and clothing stores. Restaurants, too, range from one end of the spectrum to the other: from walk-up French fry stands and ice cream shops to farm-to -table cafes, seafood restaurants to pizza joints, gastro pubs to cantinas, and everything in between. A myriad of other businesses and organizations, including hotels, art galleries, realtors, salons, spas, theatres, rental companies also call Rehoboth Beach home.
Serving such an array of businesses could be daunting, but Rehoboth Beach Main Street (RBMS), founded in 1999, rises (like the tide) to the challenge. In addition to advocating for businesses in local issues and conducting workshops for business owners, RBMS puts on a dizzying number of events to promote the city and draw people downtown to shop, eat and stay. Last year alone they did 33 events!
Executive Director Krys Johnson, who was unfamiliar with Main Street prior to moving to Delaware eight years ago, is now a champion of Rehoboth’s downtown and the Main Street movement. “Main Street’s downtown revitalization is a complex process and the mission to create networks and partnerships whereby community leaders gain support and resources to help resolve important issues is work I am in total support of and passionate about,” explains Johnson. She encourages business owners to become business supporters of RBMS, benefits of which includes having their business featured on the RBMS website and social media, inclusion in the annual print Main Street Guide Book, and access to sign and façade grants, among other things. Johnson emphasizes that RBMS is there for all local businesses regardless of business supporter status. The result of RBMS’s hard work and a strong local identity is a vibrant downtown with a healthy economy and notably non-existent storefront vacancy rates.
Energized from a meeting with Johnson, I decided to stroll around RBMS (with my mother-in-law, Calli, and niece, Natalie, in tow) to snap some photos to capture a bit of what makes Rehoboth Beach so wonderful.
(1) & (2) Rehoboth Avenue has a delightfully eclectic mix of business, with t-shirt souvenir shops and boutiques alike, running along its wide boulevard. (3) Beach Plum Alley leads to the Back Porch Café, at 59 Rehoboth Avenue, where I marveled at the dappled light and stout dog sculpture.
(1) Browseabout Books is a longtime Rehoboth Avenue favorite with a huge selection of books, toys and gifts. (2) The mural on the corner features book spines with clever beach-themed pun titles. (3) View of 1st Street looking north from Rehoboth Avenue.
(1) Rehoboth Beach’s boardwalk features a wide, herringbone-patterned wood promenade, and is lined with beach-centric variety shops and fair-food eats. Dolle’s, a purveyor of fine salt water taffy, anchors the boardwalk at 1 Rehoboth Avenue. (2) The Rehoboth Beach Bandstand, located where Rehoboth Avenue terminates at the boardwalk, hosts concerts and events year-round. In fact, Johnson’s favorite event last year—out of a staggering 33—was the holiday tree lighting in November. The granite drinking fountain in the foreground was dedicated in 1929 by Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. (3) The Sea Shell Shop, at 119 Rehoboth Avenue, is a one-stop-shop for all your sea shell needs.
Nestled between the main commercial streets are several open-air pedestrian alleys, including (1) Penny Lane Mall, and (3) the Shops at Rehoboth Mews. (2) Flowers, which are everywhere in RBMS, overflow their planters on Baltimore Avenue.
(1) Papa Grande’s Costal Taqueria, at 210 2nd Street, is one of many hip eateries in Rehoboth Beach. Restaurants range from walk-up boardwalk fry stands (the malt vinegar and potatoes are alchemy!) to farm-to-table gastro pubs, and everything in between. Rehoboth Beach is also home to one of my favorite craft brewery’s taproom, Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, at 320 Rehoboth Avenue (which is not pictured because I was too busy consuming to snap photos). (2) A store clerk helps shoppers in the window of the Bella Luna boutique at 127 Rehoboth Avenue. It’s a personal favorite mine for accessories and décor. (3) Rehoboth Beach Variety, a throw-back general store at 107 Rehoboth Avenue, has a fine selection of sundries for ill-prepared tourists like me, including the ever-important sunscreen and aloe lotion. (4) Proud Book Store on Baltimore Ave caters to the many LGBT visitors to Rehoboth Beach, which has been considered LGBT-friendly for over 30 years.
Rehoboth Beach’s commercial district showcases a wide range of architectural styles, including converted late 19th and early 20th century homes, art deco store blocks, midcentury commercial buildings, and late 20th century infill. (1) & (2) Bike To Go rental shop sits happily alongside jewelry boutiques in a large Art Deco commercial building on the corner of Rehoboth Avenue and 2nd Street. (3) Claws Seafood House, at 167 Rehoboth Avenue, occupies a converted Queen Anne-style home with a canted bay window and cheery lobster-red trim.
Visit Rehoboth Beach Main Street,
All photos by Emily Wallrath Schmidt.
Emily Wallrath Schmidt is the Associate Manager of Communications and Development at the National Main Street Center. She manages the website, social media and Main Street Weekly. She is also responsible for donor research and helping to build relationships with individual, foundation and corporate supporters.
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Georgetown has developed a strong Downtown Master Plan that helps serve as a guide-point for planning efforts in downtown
Announcing the 2020 Mary Means Leadership Award Recipient
Meet Sharon Jablonski, the Director of Morganton Main Street in Morganton, North Carolina, and the first recipient of the Mary Means Leadership Award.
Announcing the 2020 Great American Main Street Award Winners
Congratulations to these Main Street programs for their fantastic work!
Community Spotlight: Missouri Main Street Connection Leads the Iowa Community Expedition
Missouri Main Street Connection (MMSC) had the opportunity to take Missouri Executive Directors and other community representatives on the Iowa Community Expedition
District Spotlight: Pontiac, Michigan
In response, UrbanMain and Main Street Oakland County joined forces in March 2018 to assist Pontiac stakeholders in putting their downtown organization back on a positive track, making Pontiac the first community in Michigan to participate in the UrbanMain initiative.
2018 Partners in Preservation: Main Streets Winning Sites
American Express, the National Trust for Historic Preservation and Main Street America announced the winners of the 2018 Partners in Preservation: Main Streets campaign.
2018 Community Transformation Workshop Recap
An essential component of the Main Street America Institute, the three-day in-person workshop gives participants hands-on tools to enact revitalization projects in their communities.
A Statewide Movement Improving West Virginia Main Streets
Since 2013, Try This West Virginia has sought to improve health environments in local communities as a collaboration of organizations working together to combat the health challenges facing West Virginians.
Community Spotlight: Main Street Hampton
Main Street Hampton hosted a Food and Friends Farm-to-Table dinner at the Rustic Brew during Main Street Iowa Restaurant Week.
Community Spotlight: Partners in Preservation 2018
From community gathering spaces to retail incubators, from small towns to big cities – this year’s projects and communities are a testament to the diversity of Main Streets across the country.
Community Spotlight: Ames, Iowa
Downtown Ames hosted a festival for the 46th annual RAGBRAI race (The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa).
7 Ways To Bring Your Main Street On Screen
You don’t need to be a big-name district to make a video that goes viral; you just need to know what you’re doing.
Comcast Newsmakers: Revitalizing Downtown
Matt Wagner, National Main Street Center's Vice President of Revitalization Programs, discusses competitive advantages, incrementalism and the power of the Main Street America network
Community Spotlight: Main Street Homer, Louisiana
Main Street Homer (Homer, Louisiana) was awarded a $25,000 A Community Thrives social impact grant from Gannett/USA Today Network to create an arts center with affordable artist studios and classroom/event space.
Evolution, Acceptance, and Change: The Main Street Approach as a Catalyst for Revitalization
Nearly slated for demolition 30 years ago, downtown Cedar Falls has experienced an amazing transformation through its revitalization journey using the Main Street Approach.
Main Street Roots Run Deep in Downtown Wytheville
Since starting as Executive Director, Todd has helped the organization achieve Virginia Main Street Designation Status and national Accreditation.
Announcing the 2018 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The National Main Street Center, Inc., announced Downtown Oregon City, Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency, and Howell Main Street as the 2018 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) winners during its annual conference in Kansas City, Missouri.
Main Streets in Action
We rolled out four new Main Street America videos highlighting the power of the Main Street movement, Main Street Approach, economic impact of Main Street, and the incredible volunteers that make Main Street's grassroots network so effective.
Community Spotlight: Ridgefield Main Street
Ridgefield Main Street is an energetic, up-and-coming Washington Main Street program located just north of Vancouver, Washington.
Want to do something big? Start small.
A series of small, incremental improvements, when taken together, provide momentum for long-term economic transformation and improved quality of life in a community.
Michigan Main Street Refresh Implementation: The Refresh from Our Communities’ Perspective
Here's a bit of background on each of the communities. Read on for the Refresh Implementation Q&A.
Announcing the 2017 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The National Main Street Center, Inc. announced the 2017 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) during its annual conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The Reality of Main Street — Letter from the President
The National Main Street Center and the Brookings Institution have jointly authored a response to Mr. Hyman’s piece, The Reality of Main Street, that is featured on Brookings’ blog.
Michigan Main Street Refresh Implementation: Our Process and Lessons Learned So Far
Michigan Main Street Center was the first Coordinating Program to implement the new Main Street approach on a large scale. In this article, they share their robust process and valuable lessons.
The Reality of Main Street
There is another way for smaller communities to compete in today’s economy and we believe a strong main street strategy is at the heart of it.
The Myth of Main Street? Letter from the President
Letter from past MSA President, Patrice Frey
The Lowdown in Downtown LaBelle
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.
Strategic Planning Through Transformation Strategies – Saline, Michigan
Back in October 2015, we introduced the three key components of the refreshed Main Street Approach: inputs, outputs and Community Transformation Strategies.
Revitalization and Main Street Transformation
For a lucky few downtowns, greatness may happen effortlessly with a strong sense of place that seems to develop organically and simply sustain itself. For most places, success doesn’t happen by chance.
Revisit Your Community’s Unique Assets: Connecting Asset-Based Economic Development to Community Transformation Strategies
This need for change results from the heavy emphasis on three components of the refreshed Main Street Approach.
The 2016 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The 2016 winners are a diverse group in geography and character, but together demonstrate the broad applicability of the Main Street Approach:
Main Street Nation Radio
The first official show under the Main Street Nation banner aired in June 2015 on WJR-760 AM Detroit.
The Path To The Future
The economic value of historic preservation on Main Street.
Refresh Demonstration Project Sites: Learning Labs for the Updated Main Street Approach
A series of demonstration projects providing the opportunity to test new strategies on the ground, learn from practitioners, and refine the approach.
Why Business Retention and Expansion Plans are Important for Downtowns
A business retention and expansion plan, properly implemented, not only helps keep businesses open but possibly even helps them expand.
Wisconsin Main Street: 27 Years of People, Places and Progress
While there have been over $1.2 billion in public and private investment in Wisconsin Main Street communities over the past 27 years, what really makes it special are the people and places that have been involved.
Pop-Up Art Tour
Main Street Bartow's empty storefronts become pop-up art galleries to promote economic development.
Independent We Stand Makes Main Streets a Priority
In communities across the country, hardworking business owners and buy local advocates come together to foster an organized effort to reinvent and revitalize Main Streets and downtown districts.
Announcing the 2015 Great American Main Street Award Winners
The National Main Street Center is pleased to announce that Cape Girardeau, Mo., Montclair Center, N.J., and Rawlins, Wyo. were selected as the 2015 Great American Main Street Award® (GAMSA) winners.
