Downtown Albuquerque, NM, lost much of its vibrancy as small restaurants and retailers failed during the depths of the Covid-19 recession. A carefully constructed grant program is turning things around. The city directed $500,000 in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to grants for downtown businesses. To be eligible, businesses had to…Continue reading
Greenville, MS and Columbus, MS are small cities in the same state, but they’re not obvious candidates for a marketing partnership. The towns are 160 miles apart, and Greenville’s autumn Delta Hot Tamale Festival and Columbus’ springtime Market Street Festival have almost no overlap in attendance. In other words, Columbus was just the kind of…Continue reading
To help reduce stormwater run-off on downtown streets, a popular Myrtle Beach, MD, parking lot is going green. Green parking lots incorporate permeable or semi-permeable paving, porous design techniques, and landscaping to reduce stormwater runoff. The city’s Infrastructure Project Manager Chris Miller says that the city will see multiple benefits. The new pavers will reduce…Continue reading
The proliferation of properties being marketed on Airbnb, VRBO, and other platforms has created concern in many municipalities. Critics say the short-term rentals disrupt neighborhood cohesiveness with constant turnover and occasional loud parties. Others point to rentals as contributing to rising real estate prices and a shortage of affordable housing. Traverse City, MI, recently banned…Continue reading
Spring saw the launch of the Newton Summer Farmers’ Market in northern New Jersey. The market aims to bring consumers and farmers together and includes only foods grown, produced, or raised within 25 miles of the market. The market also supports local shopping. Unlike many markets which operate in a downtown park, plaza, or lot,…Continue reading
Downtown Denison, TX, hosts nearly 700 events a year, a brisk pace that generates a steady stream of activity. The hectic schedule has also forced downtown leaders to be mindful about how to pace the events so that they help rather than hinder downtown merchants. With so much happening in a small downtown, the challenge…Continue reading
In response to a spate of property crimes aimed at merchants, San Francisco city officials have launched a new grant program that aims to help small businesses recover from damage done to their storefronts by thieves and vandals. The Storefront Vandalism Relief Grant provides $1,000 to $2,000 to businesses that face the costs of break-ins…Continue reading
Toccoa, GA, boasts a thriving downtown and a bustling historic theater. It has even carved out a niche as a setting for filmmakers looking for an iconic courtroom and Main Street. Toccoa positions itself as "camera ready" and "film friendly," says Christian Hamilton, Toccoa’s main street manager. To make good on those promises, Toccoa doesn’t…Continue reading
In downtown Napa, CA, wayfinding signs are fading and more than two decades old. “They have patched-over fonts, different colors, and incorrect information,” says Economic Development Manager Neal Harrison. “A good example of that is the visitor center moved from Main Street to First Street and the signage hasn’t moved with it.” Napa’s experience with…Continue reading
Many downtowns offer gift certificates or custom currency that can be redeemed with local eateries and merchants. The offerings are typically limited to a handful of locally owned cafés, restaurants, and gift shops. But in Thomasville, GA, Downtown Dollars are so widely used that a consumer might be able to survive on local currency alone.…Continue reading
