This week we are kicking off a series focused on Main Street communities and the unique position they hold in driving local economic development. With the holidays right around the corner, we want to explore the many benefits that “buying local” actually provide for communities, large and small, in ways seen and un-seen.
As cited on the Main Street America website, “the Main Street movement has proven that downtowns are the heart of our communities, and that a community is only as strong as its core.”
Joining me to kick off this series is Michael Wagler, Main Street Iowa State Coordinator. Michael is an experienced community development and historic preservation professional with a demonstrated history of nonprofit and government sector work. He has a passion for empowering people and places through community engagement, strategic discussions, and a lead-by-example style of leadership.
The focus of our Green City radio show and the Your Green Portal website is to highlight the good that is happening within the many aspects of sustainability including environmental, but also economic and social. All three are needed for vibrant communities. The discussions in this series emphasize the key role that our main street districts play in upholding all three aspects.
This holiday season – visit your local main street and shop local!
Key Takeaways from our discussion:
- There are 55 official Main Street communities across Iowa
- The Main Street Iowa organization serves to provide a broad array of resources to these communities as well as building a strong network for them to communicate with each other – many of their challenges are similar
- In main street communities, volunteers are the engines that drive services
- The Forge Project in Jefferson is a great example of a success story that served as a catalyst for a change in attitude and perspective as well as economic development
- In Centerville, they support small businesses with tracking data that shows sales tax data and they have been able to show a 10% increase every year
- During the pandemic, small businesses have had to re-evaluate their business model and many adjusted by switching much of their business online via Shop Iowa
- Others have set up curb side pick-up and shopping by appointment
- Since March of 2020, almost all main streets have seen a net gain of new businesses
- Main Streets are a place where you can have all of the shopping experiences with a personalized touch
- Challenge yourself to: Get in there and shop local, tell others about the experiences you had, go on-line and review a small business on Google or Yelp
BY SHOPPING LOCAL, YOU ARE:
- Creating jobs
- Keeping money in the local economy
- Investing in entrepreneurship
- Nurturing a sense of community
- Supporting the environment by reducing waste and conserving energy
When you buy from a small business,
An actual person does a little
Happy dance!
Thank you for listening to today’s discussion. Let’s continue the conversation and learn from each other.