Virginia Main Street Blog

• Radford – Past the Tipping Point
  According to WDBJ7.com, Radford is past the “tipping point” and Main Street Radford’s vision to create “a destination district widely recognized as the best place in the New River Valley for an independent business to succeed and grow” is becoming a reality. Entrepreneurs are setting up shop in once empty storefronts, and visitors can add [...]
  
  
• Hopewell Celebrates Virginia Main Street Designation
  A kickoff event celebrating Hopewell’s designation as an official Virginia Main Street (VMS) community was held Thursday, January 12 at the Beacon Theater in downtown Hopewell. At the event, the VMS staff presented the town with road signs signifying its designation as a Main Street Community and joined with local officials in remarking on the [...]
  
  
• St. Paul Celebrates Main Street Designation
  Residents of St. Paul, one of four newly designated Virginia Main Street communities, recently gathered to formally recognize the distinction and enlist new volunteers at a kick-off event in November. Attendees included more than 40 residents, Mayor Kyle Fletcher, Vice-Mayor Sharon Steele, Town Councilmember Monty Salyer and members of St. Paul Tomorrow, led by current [...]
  
  
• Helping Main Street Merchants Weather the Winter Doldrums
  As you may have noticed while walking along Main Street, January is typically a slow season for many retailers as consumers try to pay off bills accumulated during the holidays. Hopefully, Main Street retailers have planned for and are prepared to weather this annual slow season.  MyBusiness.com offers several tips to help retailers make the most [...]
  
  
• From Farmers Market to European Bakery
  24 of the 25 designated Virginia Main Street communities have active farmers markets. In addition to being great places to buy locally-grown produce, eggs and meat, farmers markets also serve as small business incubators. As pointed out in Ashley Fletcher Frampton’s article, Entrepreneurs Get Start at Area Farmers Markets, the low start-up costs and captive audiences at [...]
  
  
• Tourism Marketing Grants Announced
  Governor McDonnell recently announced that the Virginia Tourism Commission (VTC) will award $635,000 in matching grants to 35 local tourism initiatives.  The grants, which require a 3-to-1 match, will help local and regional entities attract visitors by leveraging local tourism marketing dollars. Several designated Virginia Main Street (VMS) communities and their partners will receive grant funds. [...]
  
  
• Harnessing the Potential of Social Media
  Most businesses that use social media do so passively, using top-down, one-way communication to tell their customers about things.  Often businesses don’t engage people by starting conversations or asking for ideas and input.  This lack of engagement leads to missed opportunities for increased sales and valuable customer feedback. The people over at Inc. Magazine have a great number of [...]
  
  
• Guest Blogger: Randy Jones on DHR’s Revised Guidelines for Conducting Surveys of Historic Resources
  People who know Virginia Main Street know that historic preservation plays an important role in the success of the program. Most VMS communities, for instance, feature downtown historic districts that are listed in the Virginia Landmarks Register and the National Register of Historic Places. Listing these districts in the state and national registers bolsters economic revitalization [...]
  
  
• Waynesboro Applying to Become Designated Appalachian Trail Community
  Waynesboro City Council unanimously approved a resolution to support city staff in gaining recognition as an official Appalachian Trail Community on October 25, 2011.  This designation would officially recognize the ongoing partnership between the city of Waynesboro and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and provide the city with promotional and economic development support.  Benefits of this [...]
  
  
• Downtown Culpeper offers speciality store the right location
  The concept of a store specializing in olive oils, high end vinegars and out-of the-ordinary spices is just right for downtown Culpeper, a district that has earned a reputation among epicures. Fine dining and quality provisions from merchants and a popular farmers’ market has made Davis Street a destination. However, that reputation alone may not [...]