Curating Main Street Microbusinesses

"Downtown needs to be a third space where people want to be" - Brandon Still

This morning, I had a Zoom chat with Brandon Still, a coworking space developer and entrepreneur ecosystem builder, who shares my love for Main Street microbusinesses and live music. We shared stories about what made certain downtowns great and others lacking.

As I was trying to take it all in and come up with a perfect picture of what makes a great downtown or Main Street, Brandon said the above statement. That was it. It’s the people who make a downtown successful and alive.

A Place People Want To Be

Imagine strolling down a lively Main Street, where charming storefronts invite you in. A local bakery entices you with the scent of freshly baked bread and pastries, while the sound of cheerful conversation spills out of a cozy café where friends gather over coffee.

Nearby, a boutique showcases locally handcrafted jewelry and trendy clothing, and a bookstore with a welcoming reading nook invites you to linger. Families browse a farmer’s market set up on greenspace created between buildings. Neighbors stop to chat on benches in front of the local barbershop.

This is a space people want to be.

The Reality

Now, picture the stark reality of many Main Streets. Interspersed between vacant buildings, there are buildings with dusty windows used as storage units, an uninviting antique store, an insurance agent with random office hours, a bar with no windows on the corner, and a general sense of decline. Not a person in sight.

And people wonder why no one goes downtown anymore.

Curating Main Street Businesses

What makes the difference? It’s the people that bring energy and life to a downtown. But having the right mix of businesses is essential to drawing people in and making them stay. This is where the concept of curating businesses comes in.

By intentionally selecting and supporting businesses that align with the community’s needs, towns can transform their Main Streets into vibrant, sustainable centers of activity and pride.

What Does It Mean to Curate Businesses on Main Street?

The idea of curating Main Street businesses was first introduced to me by Erik Reader, Director of Illinois Main Street, in his pre-Main Street days when he was helping communities revitalize their downtowns through his consulting businesses.

His approach to growing a vibrant downtown wasn't to fill storefronts with whoever could afford the rent. The idea was to deliberately seek out the types of businesses that reflect the community's identity, serve its needs, and complement existing enterprises. It also means creating the foundation for a third space where people naturally want to spend their time.

This approach ensures that every business adds value to the local ecosystem. It creates something that draws in and serves the community and those who visit. As Jaime Izurieta, author of Storefront Mastery, would agree, it's about designing an experience—one where businesses, public spaces, and cultural activities intersect to create a space where people feel connected.

A curated Main Street that features a mix of retail, dining, and services - each chosen to meet diverse demands, yet complimentary interests - develops into a community social and economic hub.

Key Steps to Curate Businesses on Main Street

Small-town leaders, economic developers, entrepreneurs, and the community can work together to curate a thriving Main Street. Here are some steps you might take:

1. Engage the Community: Start by identifying the community’s needs. Involve residents in discussions to pinpoint the types of businesses they want and need. Community input fosters buy-in and ensures the curated mix aligns with local preferences. It also helps create a downtown where people see themselves and their neighbors represented.

2. Study Successful Examples: Look at other similar communities with thriving Main Streets. Analyze their business mix and public gathering spaces. Identify patterns or ideas that could work in your town for your community members and visitors alike.

3. Create a Targeted Business List: Develop a list of desired businesses based on identified community needs and research. This list serves as a roadmap for attracting the right types of businesses. Think of businesses that not only meet needs but also enhance the "third space" experience, such as coffee shops, coworking spaces, or boutique retailers.

4. Offer Assistance and Incentives: Provide business education to support new entrepreneurs. Offer financial incentives like grants, TIF funds, tax incentives, and logistical support for businesses that align with Main Street’s vision. These programs can encourage the creation of businesses that contribute to the vibrant social fabric of downtown.

5. Partner with Building Owners: Work with property owners to improve their spaces. Offer guidance or incentives to renovate and make spaces more attractive to potential entrepreneurs.

6. Actively Recruit: Does the community need a bakery? Work with a building owner who has the right space for it and advertise regionally. Are there entrepreneurs in your town who are looking for their next venture? Share your list of community business needs with them.

Real Life Examples

Delavan IL - Local entrepreneurs and those interested in restoring Delavan, IL's historic downtown started gathering at the SmartStart Delavan monthly workshops. From those conversations and information gathered from talking to people in the community, the group started creating a list of community needs and what businesses could be started to fill those needs.

SmartStart offered the business education to get businesses started. The city of Delavan worked with building owners to provide TIF funds to bring long-vacant storefronts back to life and assist with down payments for building purchases. The result? A downtown that is attracting the community again and coming back to life.

Pekin, IL - Ashley Simmons used a local Facebook group to research the needs of the community. She met those needs by opening an upscale resale shop downtown with clothes for the entire family. The city of Pekin assisted with TIF funding for business repairs and SmartStart and the Pekin Area Chamber of Commerce contributed business education and resource connections. Ashley is now working with other downtown business owners and the community to determine what business needs to fill the storefront next to hers.

In Your Community

How can you start curating your Main Street? What are the pieces that are working now? What are the missing pieces? How can you engage your community?