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Three Main Street America Staff members standing in front of a mural in Marion, Iowa.

Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams

About

We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

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Two community members in Emporia Kansas pose with a sign saying "I'm a Main Streeter"

Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street

Our Network

Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.

Overview Coordinating Programs Main Street Communities Collective Impact Awards & Recognition Community Evaluation Framework Join the Movement
Dionne Baux and MSA partner working in Bronzeville, Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America

Resources

Looking for strategies and tools to support you in your work? Delve into the Main Street Resource Center and explore a wide range of resources including our extensive Knowledge Hub, professional development opportunities, field service offerings, advocacy support, and more!

Overview Knowledge Hub Field Services Government Relations Main Street Now Conference Main Street America Institute Small Business Support Allied Member Services The Point Members Area
People riding e-scooters in Waterloo, Iowa

Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo

The Latest

Your one-stop-shop for all the latest stories, news, events, and opportunities – including grants and funding programs – across Main Street.

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Woman and girl at a festival booth in Kendall Whittier, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street

Get Involved

Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.

Overview Join Us Renew Your Membership Donate Partner With Us Job Opportunities
Three Main Street America Staff members standing in front of a mural in Marion, Iowa.

Marion, Iowa © Tasha Sams

About

We work in collaboration with thousands of local partners and grassroots leaders across the nation who share our commitment to advancing shared prosperity, creating resilient economies, and improving quality of life.

Overview Who We Are How We Work Partner Collaborations Our Supporters Our Team Job Opportunities Contact Us
Two community members in Emporia Kansas pose with a sign saying "I'm a Main Streeter"

Emporia, Kansas © Emporia Main Street

Our Network

Made up of small towns, mid-sized communities, and urban commercial districts, the thousands of organizations, individuals, volunteers, and local leaders that make up Main Street America™ represent the broad diversity that makes this country so unique.

Overview Coordinating Programs Main Street Communities Collective Impact Awards & Recognition Community Evaluation Framework Join the Movement
Dionne Baux and MSA partner working in Bronzeville, Chicago.

Chicago, Illinois © Main Street America

Resources

Looking for strategies and tools to support you in your work? Delve into the Main Street Resource Center and explore a wide range of resources including our extensive Knowledge Hub, professional development opportunities, field service offerings, advocacy support, and more!

Overview Knowledge Hub Field Services Government Relations Main Street Now Conference Main Street America Institute Small Business Support Allied Member Services The Point Members Area
People riding e-scooters in Waterloo, Iowa

Waterloo, Iowa © Main Street Waterloo

The Latest

Your one-stop-shop for all the latest stories, news, events, and opportunities – including grants and funding programs – across Main Street.

Overview News & Stories Events & Opportunities Subscribe
Woman and girl at a festival booth in Kendall Whittier, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Kendall Whittier — Tulsa, Oklahoma © Kendall Whittier Main Street

Get Involved

Join us in our work to advance shared prosperity, create strong economies, and improve quality of life in downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts.

Overview Join Us Renew Your Membership Donate Partner With Us Job Opportunities
Main Street SC staff visiting Johnny and June Boutique in Gaffney, SC. Photo courtesy of Main Street SC.

Over the past fifteen months, Main Street South Carolina has been working behind the scenes, alongside its local Main Street communities, to test and pilot a statewide e-commerce marketplace. In August, WeShopSC was officially introduced as the state’s only and largest collection of small businesses.

WeShopSC has been designed to support small business owners from the most basic start up stage to those that are IT savvy, as well as owners that are struggling to establish an online presence. WeShopSC is the small business virtual mall, connecting SC small businesses with customers. Small business owners can set up a free profile, connecting them to a statewide online marketplace that offers commission-free selling opportunities, product searching, promotional capabilities, and gift card options. It also offers automated order fulfillment options such as in-store and curbside pickup, local delivery, and shipping.

With these capabilities, the marketplace helps minimize website-related barriers and costs, providing a community-centric buying environment, while also providing an alternative option for online discovery and shopping that can yield a greater local economic impact. 

WeShopSC team with SC Senate President Thomas Alexander

WeShopSC: How to Participate

At weshopsc.com, businesses join as a store to set up a free business profile page. They can also choose to add additional features, like gift cards, for a small subscription fee. The business profile differs from the shopper profile, which allows customers to save their favorite businesses, save their billing and order information, and use gift cards in-store and online.

Once businesses have registered and created a free profile, they can begin personalizing their business directory page with details about the business as well as photos, videos, events, testimonials, and so much more.

The nationwide online marketplace company and website Beyond Main partnered with Main Street SC to develop WeShopSC. Through this partnership, we offer technical support and training to WeShopSC communities and business members. Sample training includes marketing, merchandising, and promotions.

“Beyond Main is thrilled to support South Carolina as they build a digital home for South Carolina based businesses to leverage the digital economy,” says founder and CEO Kate Giovambattista. “SC‘s leaders understand the importance of developing the ecosystem that will support the long term growth of the small business sector. Our team of retail, technology, e-commerce, and marketing experts are looking forward to collaborating with community leaders, small business owners, and customers looking to make a greater local impact.”

WeShopSC Roadshow

Last week, a team of Main Street SC staff and Beyond Main staff traveled over 2,000 miles to facilitate specialized e-commerce training. A grant from the South Carolina’s Appalachian Regional Commission enabled the WeShopSC team to provide hands-on, in-person technical assistance to small business owners in a targeted, regional approach. As a result of the roadshow, over a dozen small businesses have created a full e-commerce storefront on WeShopSC with over 75 small business interactions during the 4-day roadshow.

Heather Moore and Dannah Dawood at a workshop

Heather Moore, owner of The Maker’s Market on Mill in historic downtown Inman, SC, participated in one of last week’s workshops. She noted, “whatever the Municipal Association develops, it’s always done with the highest caliber of excellence. WeShopSC is no different. We've been watching this platform as it was being built.

Participating in the hands-on workshops has provided step by step guidance – from personalizing my business profile to adding testimonials and product listings. The light box demonstrations and training were great – especially the tricks like using sticky putty, considering different angles, and utilizing natural light. The best part of this platform is being more accessible. We often hear people say that we are never open. Well, now we are – 24/7.”

Less than 24 hours after having created her online storefront, Heather received her first online transaction, totaling more than $60.

With the initial goal of assisting 3,000 small businesses by the upcoming holiday season, over 300 small businesses have already created their free profile listing on WeShopSC and over 40 towns have created a local market.

“Having a centralized hub for South Carolina’s unique small businesses and local communities is fulfilling a larger economic development mission of the Municipal Association. As the downtown revitalization technical assistance program of the Municipal Association, Main Street SC is taking a grassroots approach to sharing this e-commerce opportunity across the state. WeShopSC is helping to expand the state’s physical brick-and-mortar square footage with individual, customizable online storefronts. This is a space for the smallest of our cities and towns - and the largest,” said Jenny Boulware, Main Street SC Manager.

Learn more by listening to a recent episode of the Municipal Association’s City Quick Connect podcast where Main Street SC staff, Jenny Boulware and Jonathan Irick, discuss how the website works, the e-commerce build out and recent grant award. Listen to the podcast at www.masc.sc.

For questions or more information about WeShopSC, contact Jenny Boulware at jboulware@masc.sc or 803.354.4792.