Board Spotlight: Meet Main Street America’s Three New Board Members
We are excited to welcome Lynda Tran, Tyrone Rachal, and Mary Helmer Wirth to the Main Street America Board of Directors
Photo credit: Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce
Last month, Main Street Hampton hosted a Food and Friends Farm-to-Table dinner at the Rustic Brew during Main Street Iowa Restaurant Week. In partnership with the Hampton Dumont Schools and Healthy Harvest of North Iowa, the menu featured locally-grown products from Franklin County and North Central Iowa.
Eating locally and healthy was the main objective for the dinner experience. With the guidance of Healthy Harvest of North Iowa, a meal was planned and prepared by the ProStart Culinary students at the Hampton Dumont Schools, which also brought together local producers. Joel and Kathy Heuer, Rustic Brew restaurant owners, provided their venue for the evening on Main Street Hampton. The Heuer’s also provided locally brewed craft beer along with small bites.
Hampton Dumont culinary students not only worked with Healthy Harvest and the local producers to receive their products, they also prepared the meal and served as waiters and waitresses during the event. During the dinner, a local producer spoke about the benefits of sourcing your food locally and a performer provided live music throughout the evening.
By working together and partnering with the local school and Healthy Harvest, The Greater Franklin County Chamber of Commerce/Main Street Hampton was able to promote a Main Street business and bring people to the downtown area to enjoy a healthy fun-filled evening.
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania © f11photo/iStock
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Volunteers help make streetscape improvements in Nevada, Iowa. © Main Street Nevada
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania © Ultima-Gaina/iStock
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania © Ultima-Gaina/iStock
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania © Ultima-Gaina/iStock
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Events create opportunities for the community to gather in downtown Nevada, Iowa. © Linda Wendt
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Speakers kick-off a session at Main Street Now 2024. © Alicia Gallo
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How to Measure Downtown Impact session at Main Street Now 2024 © Molly Alexander
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Macon, Georgia © Mike Young Photography
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“It’s Nice to Have You in Birmingham” mural by Creighton Tynes © Bham Now
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Kelly Ingram Park © Greater Birmingham CVB
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Downtown Birmingham, Alabama © Sean Pavone/iStock
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Oxford, Alabama © City of Oxford, Alabama
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Birmingham skyline from Railroad Park. © Sean Pavone/iStock
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Woodlawn Market Place © Nathan Watson/Bham Now
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Florence, SC © Phil Eich
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Call for Nominations: 2024 Mary Means Leadership Award
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Main Streeters gathered for the Community Transformation Workshop to explore strategies to advance their work.
Main Street Leadership Council Spotlight: Welcoming New Officers and Members, Thanking Outgoing Leaders
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Ostego, MI
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Founded in 2003 and currently housed within the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Michigan Main Street (MMS) recently celebrated 20 years of impact across 41 communities.
Boyne City, MI © Michigan Main Street
Last Chance: Main Street Now 2024 Call for Proposals
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Letter from Erin Barnes, President and CEO, Main Street America
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Don't miss your chance to submit a proposal for the 2024 Main Street Now conference!
Due Soon: 2024 Main Street Now Conference Session Proposals
Don't miss your chance to share your expertise with attendees in Birmingham, Alabama!
Community Spotlight: Downtown Wytheville Meets Downtown Florence
Leaders from a Virginia Main Street program traveled to South Carolina to learn from another award-winning community.
© Jenny Boulware
Registration Now Open: Supporting Small Businesses on Main Street Online Course
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© Notice Pictures
Submit a Session Proposal: 2024 Main Street Now Conference
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Last Chance: Register for 2023 Community Transformation Workshop Today!
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Recordings Now Available: Summer School Webinar Series
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Last Chance to Apply for the 2024 Great American Main Street Award
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Call for Proposals: 2024 Main Street Now Conference
Share your ideas for exciting and innovative sessions at the 2023 Main Street Now Conference!
Main Spotlight: Beat the Heat This Summer Using Downtown Design
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One Month Left to Apply for the 2024 Great American Main Street Award
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Sheridan, WY © Downtown Sheridan Association
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Now Accepting Applications: 2024 Great American Main Street Award
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Sheridan, WY © Downtown Sheridan Association
Small Town Spark: Exhibitions Celebrating Innovation in Rural Towns Uplift the Main Street Movement
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Washington, D.C. © Rizka
Get a Sneak Peek at the 2023 Community Transformation Workshop
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Vancouver, WA © Vancouver Downtown Association
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Florence, SC © Downtown Florence Main Street Program
Board Spotlight: Welcoming Jenice Contreras to the Main Street America Board of Directors
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Cleveland, OH © DJ Johnson
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Vancouver, WA © Vancouver Downtown Association
Main Spotlight: Announcing the 2023 Main Street America Designated Communities and Reinvestment Impact of Local Programs in 2022
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Metuchen, NJ © Lauren Beischer
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A vendor serves beverages at the Roslindale Summer Farmers Market in 2022. © Bruce Spero Photography
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Laramie, WY © Main Street America
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Alton, IL © Alton Main Street
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Toccoa, GA © Steph Maley
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Orlando, FL © Tyla Harrington
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Each week this Women's History Month, Main Street America is spotlighting the stories of women leaders in local and coordinating Main Street programs.
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Each week this Women's History Month, Main Street America is spotlighting the stories of women leaders in local and coordinating Main Street programs.
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INVEST South/West Chicago Reaches Two-year Milestone
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Chicago, IL © Main Street America
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Washington, IA © Kathy La Plante
2020 Year in Review: A Letter to the Network
President and CEO Patrice Frey reflects on 2020 and the early events of 2021.
Florence, SC © True Light Photography
HartBeat of Main Street Grant Program: First Round Recipient Spotlights
These 67 recipients from across the country ranged from bakeries and boutiques to salons and museums, but they all shared a commitment to the program's goals of responding and adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic and helping to revitalize and strengthen older and historic downtown commercial districts.
New Research from Brookings and the National Main Street Center on the Value of Main Street Organizations
The Brookings Bass Center for Transformative Placemaking released a new series of research briefs focused on the role that place governance organizations, like Main Street programs, play in revitalizing rural downtowns and promoting equitable rural economic and community development.
Congratulations to the 2020 MSARP Recipients!
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Main Spotlight: Developing a Toolbox to Help Manage Growth on Main Street
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
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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: 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.
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Community Spotlight: Ridgefield Main Street
Ridgefield Main Street is an energetic, up-and-coming Washington Main Street program located just north of Vancouver, Washington.
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A series of small, incremental improvements, when taken together, provide momentum for long-term economic transformation and improved quality of life in a community.
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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
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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
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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.
A Walk Through 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
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.
