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Call for Nominations: 2024 Mary Means Leadership Award

Call for Nominations: 2024 Mary Means Leadership Award! The success of a Main Street program depends upon the vision and determination of local leaders committed to community-led transformation. To celebrate these extraordinary individuals and to recognize the outstanding leadership of Main Street America’s founder, Main Street America recognizes exceptional leaders with the prestigious Mary Means Leadership Award. Who will you nominate to be celebrated for their inspirational leadership efforts? Eligibility: The nominee must be a current employee or volunteer with a Main Street America Local Program or Coordinating Program and have served ...

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Main Spotlight: Understanding the Parking Debate

December 6, 2023 | Main Spotlight: Understanding the Parking Debate | Marta Olmos, Associate Manager of Content and Communications | Street parking in Miami, Fla. Photo by Matt Alaniz. Main Takeaways It is important for Main Street leaders to understand the research on downtown parking and the many tools and solutions they can use to improve parking in your district. Downtown parking is necessary in most downtowns, but the design and number of parking spaces differs depending on community needs. Parking can increase access to businesses and housing, but it can also limit new development and take up valuable downtown ...

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Community Spotlight: Madison Main Street Holiday Open House

November 30, 2023 | Community Spotlight: Madison Main Street Holiday Open House | Austin Sims, Executive Director at Madison Main Street | Shoppers participating in the Holiday Open House. Photo by Samantha Turner. Madison Main Street kicked off the holiday season with our annual Holiday Open House event on November 10. The annual event is centered around our collectible cookie tins, which feature a commissioned design depicting a scene in Downtown Madison scene. Once participants purchase their tins at the Madison Main Street office, they participate in the cookie crawl to collect their cookies from ten different downtown locations. It is like trick-or-treat, ...

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Save the Date for Main Street Now 2024 in Birmingham, Alabama

We can't wait to see you in Birmingham, Alabama, for the 2024 Main Street Now Conference from May 6 - 8! Save the date to join fellow commercial district revitalization leaders from across the country for three days of education sessions, special events, mobile workshops, and opportunities to explore "The Magic City." From downtowns in rural places to commercial corridors in cities, the Main Street Now Conference offers time-tested approaches and new techniques to address pressing issues to help your community thrive. Location & Lodging Conference accommodations and sessions will take place at the Sheraton Birmingham Hotel and ...

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Main Spotlight: A Ferry Ride to Main Street in Bainbridge Island, Washington

November 29, 2023 | Main Spotlight: A Ferry Ride to Main Street in Bainbridge Island, Washington | Kelle Kitchel-Cooper, Executive Director at Bainbridge Island Downtown Association | Seattle-Bainbridge Ferry. Photo by Anna Carson. Nestled against the waters of the Puget Sound, Bainbridge Island is known for its spectacular natural beauty, rich art, and diverse culture. (It is also the birthplace of Pickleball!) Our downtown is accessible from the Seattle waterfront via a 40-minute ferry ride and serves as a gateway to the Kitsap Peninsula and beyond. Bainbridge Island Downtown Association embraces our strong transportation links to ...

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Now Accepting Nominations: 2024 Mary Means Leadership Award

Nominate Your Community’s Exceptional Main Street Leader for the 2024 Mary Means Leadership Award! The success of a Main Street program depends upon the vision and determination of local leaders committed to community-led transformation. To celebrate these extraordinary individuals and to recognize the outstanding leadership of Main Street America’s founder, Main Street America recognizes exceptional leaders with the prestigious Mary Means Leadership Award. Who will you nominate to be celebrated for their phenomenal leadership efforts? Eligibility: The nominee must be a current employee or volunteer with a Main Street America Local Program ...

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Exploring the Meaning and Impact of Small Business Saturday Across the Main Street Network

November 25, 2023 | Exploring the Meaning and Impact of Small Business Saturday Across the Main Street Network | Marta Olmos, Associate Manager of Content and Communications | Shopping at small businesses in Laramie, Wyoming. Photo by Laramie Main Street Alliance. Today is Small Business Saturday, a day to recognize the importance of locally owned businesses by shopping small in your community. Whether you’re getting a jump start on holiday shopping, showing support for friends and neighbors, or treating yourself to something special, we hope you spend some time exploring the small businesses around you today and throughout the winter holiday ...

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Community Spotlight: Dia de los Muertos with Main Street Gardnerville

November 16, 2023 | Community Spotlight: Dia de los Muertos with Main Street Gardnerville | Jen Nalder, Program Director at Main Street Gardnerville | Performers at the Dia de los Muertos event. Photos courtesy of Main Street Gardnerville. This is the second year we have had the privilege of hosting the Dia de los Muertos event though a partnership with Douglas County Community Services and the Carson Valley Arts council. The event featured Aztec Dancers and 12-foot-tall Catrina Doll, which were presented by Arte de Culture of Reno. Our performers food, beverage, and vendors were all of local Hispanic heritage. It was a leap of faith to ...

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Main Spotlight: Getting to Know Erin Barnes, Main Street America President and CEO

November 15, 2023 | Main Spotlight: Getting to Know Erin Barnes, Main Street America President and CEO | Two months ago, Erin Barnes joined Main Street America as our new President and CEO. In a letter to the network , she shared her passion for her Main Street, Myrtle Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, and invited the network to share videos of their communities. Last month, she attended the Coordinators Meeting in Denver, Colorado, and met many new faces, but there are still a lot of Main Streeters who aren’t acquainted with our new leader. To help us get to know Erin better, we sat down with her to dive deeper into some of the themes ...

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Community Spotlight: #LIGHTBIKETRAIL in Downtown Billings, Montana

November 9, 2023 | Community Spotlight: #LIGHTBIKETRAIL in Downtown Billings, Montana | Lindsay Richardson, Communications and Outreach Director at Downtown Billings Alliance | The #LIGHTBIKETRAIL is a walkable trail of 10 wall mounted LED-lit bicycles, paired with beautifully unique painted murals. The trail runs through a number of downtown Billings alleyways & is a part of the Downtown Billings Public Art program, an initiative that helps beautify downtown Billings while also promoting public safety. The project was inspired by a 2019 Downtown Billings Alliance public art installation which depicts an artistically interpreted aerial ...

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Main Spotlight: Investigating Transformation Strategies in Stevenson and Vancouver, Washington

November 8, 2023 | Main Spotlight: Investigating Transformation Strategies in Stevenson and Vancouver, Washington | By: Alicia Gallo, Senior Manager of Strategic Communications Workshop participants in downtown Vancouver, Wash. Photo by Alicia Gallo/Main Street America. On October 3, 2023, Main Street leaders from across the country convened in the theater of the Columbia Gorge Museum in Stevenson, Washington, for the first day of the Community Transformation Workshop, offered by the Main Street America Institute (MSAI). With coffee in hand, attendees gathered to ponder a very important question: "What do you want to learn from this workshop?” ...

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Main Street Leadership Council Spotlight: Welcoming New Officers and Members, Thanking Outgoing Leaders

November 2, 2023 | Main Street Leadership Council Spotlight: Welcoming New Officers and Members, Thanking Outgoing Leaders | By Alicia Gallo, Senior Manager of Strategic Communications | Main Street Leadership Council at the Fall 2023 Coordinator Meeting in Denver, Colorado. Photo by Joi Cuartero Austin/Main Street America. Last month, Main Street America (MSA) held the Fall 2023 Coordinator Meeting in Denver, Colorado. The three-day, bi-annual event offered opportunities for Main Street America staff, Board of Directors, and Coordinating Partners to gather and connect. Activities included a walking tour of Denver’s historic lower downtown area, ...

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Main Street Business Insights Podcast: Season 1 Wrap

November 2, 2023 | Main Street Business Insights Podcast: Season 1 Wrap | By: Liz Shenk, Manager of Marketing & Outreach Main Street Business Insights wrapped up its inaugural season in October. The podcast, powered by Main Street America, spotlights small business owners from around the country, highlighting their personal journeys, the innovative ways they have overcome adversity, and the advice they have for others on how to keep their businesses on track. Learn more and listen to the first 10 episodes of Main Street Business Insights here. Available wherever you get your podcasts. In the first season, Wagner sat down ...

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25 Small Business Owners Receive $25,000 Grants through Backing Small Businesses Program

November 1, 2023 | 25 Small Business Owners Receive $25,000 Grants through Backing Small Businesses Program | Twenty-five small business owners across the country have been awarded $25,000 Enhancement Grants through the Backing Small Businesses grant program , presented by American Express and Main Street America. The 25 small businesses receiving enhancement grants represent 19 states and Puerto Rico. Earlier this year, each of these recipients also received $5,000 as part of a 350-member cohort. Including the awards announced today and the awards granted in the summer, the program will have provided nearly $4 million in grants to 680 small business ...

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Main Spotlight: Meet Three Women Leading Main Streets and Small Businesses

October 31, 2023 | Main Spotlight: Meet Three Women Leading Main Streets and Small Businesses | Marta Olmos, Associate Manager of Content and Communications | The Carrot Seed Kitchen Co. storefront. Photo courtesy of Kirsten Gjesdal. October is Women’s Small Business Month! Main Street America's Spring 2023 Small Business Survey found that 61% of respondents stated that their business was woman-owned. Many of these business owners are introduced to the Main Street Movement through their downtown presence, and some go on to become volunteers, board members, and executive directors. We spoke to Kirsten Gjesdal, owner of The Carrot Seed ...

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Main Spotlight: A Walk Down Main Street for National Pedestrian Safety Month

October 24, 2023 | Main Spotlight: A Walk Down Main Street for National Pedestrian Safety Month | Marta Olmos, Associate Manager of Content and Communications | Pedestrians in Lansing, Michigan. Photo by Lansing 5:01. Main Takeaways October is National Pedestrian Safety Month, a fitting time to examine the state of your street and begin planning a safer future. Pedestrian safety is an important consideration for Main Street design. Design choices like road diets, lighting, and painted crosswalks can help slow traffic and improve safety. In 2022, the Governors Highway Safety Association estimated that ...

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New on Main Street Business Insights: Trendy Teachers

October 18, 2023 | New on Main Street Business Insights: Trendy Teachers | By: Liz Shenk, Manager of Marketing & Outreach | In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, 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. A “unique boutique” for teachers, Trendy Teachers provides classroom supplies, décor, custom clothing, and educational toys and materials both through an online store and their brick-and-mortar shop in downtown Rome. In their conversation, Matt, Jamie, and Jerry discuss ...

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Program Spotlight: The 2023 Appalachian Big Ideas Festival in Hazard, Kentucky

October 19, 2023 | Program Spotlight: The 2023 Appalachian Big Ideas Festival in Hazard, Kentucky | Tasha Sams, Manager of Entrepreneur and Small Business Support | Representatives from the Waymakers Collective, Appalshop, and the Hindman Settlement School discuss resilience through culture. Photo by Tasha Sams. Hosted annually by Appalachians for Appalachia , The Appalachian Big Ideas Festival (ABIF) brings hundreds of rural leaders, storytellers, waymakers , creatives, and entrepreneurs together to celebrate all that is and all that will be in Appalachia. Everyone has big ideas – of course – but what does it look like to put those ...

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Main Spotlight: Celebrating 20 Years of Michigan Main Street

October 17, 2023 | Main Spotlight: Celebrating 20 Years of Michigan Main Street | Jill Tremonti, Promotions Specialist at Michigan Main Street | Leaders from Boyne City, Michigan Main Street, and Main Street America gather to celebrate 20 years of the program. Photo courtesy of Michigan Main Street. Founded in 2003 and currently housed within the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), Michigan Main Street (MMS) has provided technical assistance, training, and development to 41 communities in the state, realizing $445.6 million of total economic impact and supporting over 4,000 jobs with a total cumulative state tax revenue ...

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Small Business Saturday Neighborhood Champion Application Now Open

October 17, 2023 | Small Business Saturday® Neighborhood Champion Application Now Open | 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. Apply now. 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 ...

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