Main Street: The Comprehensive Pathway to Celebrating More Grand Openings and Filling Historic Commercial Districts with Economic Activity
September 30, 2024 | Keith Winge
The goal of any Main Street program is to economically lift a community’s historic downtown core. They accomplish this by using the Main Street Approach™, which is firmly rooted in the economic development of older, traditional business districts infused with an ethic of historic preservation. Alongside the Economic Vitality Point, the Main Street Approach™ also includes the other three points: Design, Promotion, and Organization. All four of these points comprehensively work in tandem to provide a pathway and structure to historic commercial district revitalization that cultivates a thriving, vibrant community for all. Each point has a development theme and a role in the pathway to support and encourage economic growth. Design develops places and spaces, Promotion develops customers, and Organization develops partners and volunteers.
The impact of each Missouri Main Street program is reflected in their quarterly data they collect and submit to Missouri Main Street Connection. The cumulative data showcases the collective impact of Main Streets across the state. For the first half of 2024, Missouri’s Main Streets experienced a boom in cultivating economic development in their historic commercial district through initiatives such as business start-ups resulting in more jobs being created. Since January, 36 Main Street programs reported that 55 new businesses opened or moved to the downtown Main Street district and created 210 new jobs. This is well ahead of the first half of 2023, with 49 net new businesses and 78 net new jobs.
Let’s meet some of the new businesses created in Main Street districts:
Pacific Partnership is the Affiliate Main Street program in Pacific. They have already reported three new businesses opening in its district this year, with more coming as they have showcased on their social media pages.
One of those new businesses is Winehouse 66 on Route 66 in downtown Pacific. I visited Winehouse 66 before it opened during my visit in April when I conducted a training for the Main Street board of directors. It is in an old home that has been converted into a wine bar with a cool vibe. While visiting with the owner, he shared that “he and his son were partners in this endeavor and wanted to be downtown to add to the life and success of the district.” Other new businesses in downtown Pacific include Goodies, Pacific Sweet Shop, Bubble Bean, Pages, and Camilla’s at The Royal.
Downtown Cape Girardeau’s Main Street program, Old Town Cape, boasted seven new businesses in the first half of 2024, representing 50 net new jobs for the community. One of the new businesses, Bourbon + Bitters, opened on the first floor of the Broadway Theater. Old Town Cape spent the last decade or so trying to save this notable old theater. If you did not get a chance to hear their story at the 2024 Missouri’s Premier Downtown Revitalization Conference, check out part of it in our “Working Hand-In-Hand to Make a Difference” booklet. Their efforts to save it, identification of a developer, and the community rallying behind the effort to save the Broadway Theater are inspiring. Because they were able to ultimately save the iconic structure, after much debate, the space is once again contributing to the economic success of Downtown Cape Girardeau by welcoming customers.
I recently visited Canton to conduct a training with Canton Main Street Association. They have reported four new businesses so far this year, and I was lucky enough to see their unique way of welcoming new businesses downtown. Main Street leaders gather at the new business to do a bell ringing to welcome that business to the district. Board President of Canton Main Street Association, Kristy Horner shared, “We do the bell ringing to welcome the new business to the community and leave a Canton Main Street Association sign for them to display in their window”.
Bull Head Hat Co. was recently started by young entrepreneur, Avery Schultz. His company makes custom leather patch hats for companies, events, and individuals. His motto is “In a world of automation, we offer personal connections,” which guides his work. That same day, the Main Street program also welcomed a barber shop, antique store, and a car detailing business.
These are just a handful of the reported 55 new businesses opening in Main Streets since January. It is all thanks to the dedicated work of local Main Streets, where volunteers and their partners roll up their sleeves to nurture the entrepreneurial energy within their community. As a result of Missouri’s Main Streets, downtowns aren’t fading away; they are thriving. These locally led Main Street initiatives from breathe life into the heart of Missouri’s cities.
