October 29, 2020 | Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association: 2020 Great American Main Street Award Semifinalist Spotlight |
One of Downtown Tupelo's many murals welcomes folks to the district.
On Oct. 30, we’ll announce the three winners of the 2020 Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA). In anticipation of the big reveal, we’re highlighting one GAMSA semifinalist per day on our blog, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter from Oct. 20 -29. We’ll not only spotlight their impressive efforts from previous years, but we’ve also checked in with each community to hear about how their downtowns have been impacted by the pandemic, how their programs have responded, and advice they’d give to other Main Street communities.
Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association • Tupelo. MS
Year Founded: 1990 | Population: 38,200 | Square Blocks in Commercial District: 43
Downtown Tupelo has built on its legacy as the home of Elvis Presley and transformed its Main Street from a buttoned-up corridor that that shut down after 5pm to a bustling district with live music, art galleries, and farm-to-table restaurants. Thanks in part to a $14 million streetscape project that changed the face of Main Street and a new development that doubled the footprint of their downtown, Tupelo is now thriving, with 83 businesses opening in the last five years, which has generated over 1,300 jobs. A three-time GAMSA semifinalist, Tupelo Main Street embraces the “Tupelo Spirit” with a range of inclusive community events and festivals.
Keep reading to hear from Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association’s Executive Director, Debbie Brangenberg, about how the Main Street program has pivoted since the pandemic.
How has COVID-19 affected your district?
COVID-19 has had a definite impact on the district as usual, but so far our business owners have persevered. Fortunately, we have only lost one restaurant, which wasn't a total loss as partners from the previous restaurant concept have brought a new concept to the existing property. Our restaurants have been extremely creative in re-inventing themselves and adapting to the times. A couple of examples are from our fine dining restaurant that offered pre-orders on special meats and seafood for pick up to their customers, as well as a twist on a weekly trip around the world featuring cuisine from different countries and regions of the US. The last of our restaurants impacted by the pandemic opened after Labor Day for curbside delivery.
Our locally owned version of Uber Eats, Tupelo 2 Go, has been a strong support for restaurants during our shelter in place. State and local alcohol laws were relaxed to allow purchases of drinks to go with an entrée order or a bottle of wine. As the shelter in place was lifted, we worked with the City and business owners to relax some restrictions for on-street parking to allow parklets for outdoor dining every day and nighttime live entertainment Thursday-Saturday.
Describe one of the ways your program has responded to those effects.
In the early days, DTMSA was able to work with one of our downtown businesses to provide downtown businesses with masks, gloves, and sanitizer by buying in bulk when supplies were difficult to find. We have also launched a re-branded website that was specifically for business assistance: tupelospirit.com. We are helping businesses go online, conducting trainings on social media, and providing free website analysis and updates. The one-on-one contact has strengthened relationships with the organization as well as business to business support. Just recently, we launched a t-shirt sales campaign to fund a mini grant project for our businesses.
What is one piece of advice you would give to Main Streets struggling to pivot in the time of COVID-19?
It is not just about survival of the business and the economy. It's about relationships. Stay in touch - let your business know you are there for them. Lead by example with adaptive ways to reinvent ourselves to stay relevant. What you do now will be remembered with members and sponsors alike. It is a great time to tell our story of what we mean to our communities.
Follow DTMSA on social media to keep up with their efforts:
Facebook: @DowntownTupelo
Instagram: @DowntownTupelo
Join us as we announce the GAMSA winners on Oct. 30 at 12pm EST during a special Main Street plenary at PastForward, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s digital conference. The plenary is free to attend but registration is required! Tune in to the awards ceremony by registering for the session via Zoom or the PastForward site. We will also be streaming the ceremony via Facebook Live.