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Being the only person in the know can be fun, exhilarating even. Except when you are the one person out of 600+ in a room and you know bad news is coming.
On Feb. 22, I traveled to Red Wing, Minnesota, a beautiful, quaint community tucked into the bluffs bordering Wisconsin, knowing that I would not be enduring perhaps the most fun day of my career. I was going to be met with sadness, disappointment, regret and perhaps, yes, a little animosity. Curiously enough, despite my own angst, this WAS perhaps one of the best days of my career.
After 14,000 nominations from more than 3,500 towns across the country, Deluxe Corporation was ready to announce the winner of our Small Business Revolution – Main Street season two contest. From all those nominations, five remained, and Red Wing stood on the cusp of winning the $500,000 prize and inclusion in an eight-part online series.
The anticipation in town was palpable. It was an impossibly warm and beautiful February winter day, with temperatures soaring into the 60s. Arriving in town, I could see the Fire Department ladder truck hoisting the American flag in front of the Sheldon Theatre, where the announcement would be played live. In front was the high school band and cheerleaders and hundreds of folks ready to celebrate. And then there was me, the only person in the know.
Frostburg, Maryland, an Accredited Main Street America community, was in the final eight.
Nearly 1 million votes streamed to www.smallbusinessrevolution.org, an incredible number representing the five communities of Red Wing; Bristol, Pennsylvania; Kingsburg, California; North Adams, Massachusetts; and, Georgetown, South Carolina. Red Wing and Bristol remained near the top of the standings the entire week of voting, with Bristol edging Red Wing out in the end.
Red Wing, along with Georgetown, are both accredited Main Street America communities. They understand the power of community, of bringing people together to celebrate something greater than themselves. And each has a unique story to tell.
Georgetown has endured hardships the last few years, from devastating hurricanes to floods to a fire that ripped throughout downtown. But they came back and persevered. They leaned on each other and their professional organizations to bring themselves back. They leapt at the chance to be featured in a national campaign like the Small Business Revolution to shine a spotlight on their town.
Red Wing is more of the quintessential small town – close enough to the big cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul but rural enough to have its own feel. They have some great manufacturers like Red Wing Shoe Co. and others in town that keep the economy thriving, but they love the smaller, mom and pop shops of their Main Street area.
Red Wing Shoe Company, Red Wing, Minnesota.
Since each of the towns had done so much work to promote their communities and share their stories on social media and in traditional media outlets, we asked them to gather for the announcement of the winning town. Red Wing rightfully felt good about their chances, since they were in the lead going into the final day. The Sheldon Theatre was packed to the 480-person capacity, with another 100 people outside and more still in other venues near their downtown. Folks gathered in Georgetown and the other communities as well, but the race for a week had been between Red Wing and Bristol.
In the Sheldon Theatre, they cheered and laughed and sang and praised their community, as they should. Small towns have a special place in the hearts of their residents. You tend to be closer to your neighbors, to your high school, to your elected officials. You feel more ownership in your downtown. Red Wing buzzed and then when the announcement was made, they faltered, but only for a second.
My heart sank for Red Wing not because I wanted them to win. This was a contest and I didn't have a dog in this fight. No, my heart sank because they had tried so hard and like any of the towns we featured, they were deserving. Yet immediately, they bounced back. They shared how proud they are of their community, how incredible everyone was over the week of voting and how this effort brought them together and gave them momentum.
Red Wing Shoe Company, Red Wing, Minnesota.
Red Wing was featured in more than 40 news stories, counted millions of social media shares and hundreds of visits to the community during voting week for the Small Business Revolution. More invaluable to the town is the renewed sense of inevitable growth. They started something that they want to see finished, that they know will keep them on the path forward.
That is the story of small towns and small businesses. Every day another list comes out of the best large cities in America, or the best school districts or the worst commutes or the best restaurants. These lists often eschew the small towns and their surely forget about the Main Street America.
For a solid week, Deluxe and the Small Business Revolution put small towns front and center on the map and the outcome was remarkable. Along with the nearly 1 million votes, every one of the five small town finalists activated their social networks to talk about themselves. It was incredible. From celebrities like Elizabeth Banks and James Taylor sharing Tweets for North Adams to actor Thomas Gibson showing love on Facebook to Georgetown, the word got out. Bristol had the governor of Pennsylvania share a video message, while Red Wing received encouragement online from Senator Al Franken.
During the week of voting, these towns saw more than 72 million social media impressions, more than 300 news stories and reached hundreds of millions of people across the county. We truly do love our small towns.
Knowing the outcome of the vote in Red Wing Feb. 22 made me think I was coming to share bad news. Instead, this incredible community reminded me why we started the Small Business Revolution in the first place – this is about starting a movement, to love our small businesses. Red Wing sure does.
In an editorial on Feb. 27, the Red Wing Republican Eagle summed up the power of a movement:
“Coming off the Small Business Revolution, Red Wing could generate another $500,000 and probably more for projects and concepts, for startups and small businesses through which entrepreneurs realize their dreams and provide jobs for fellow residents. Small businesses are the future of the American economy. People and what they can do together are the future of Red Wing.”
What started as a contest ended with a shared vision for all five communities. In October, the eight-part Small Business Revolution online series on Bristol will air. And towns like Red Wing and Georgetown will be cheering for them, while still enjoying a revolution of their own.
Cameron Potts is the vice president of public relations and community management for Deluxe Corporation. In this role, he oversees all external communications for Deluxe and its affiliated companies, as well as the Deluxe Corporation Foundation. Since joining the company in August, 2014, Cameron has led several public relations initiatives, including efforts to promote the Small Business Revolution, an online platform that celebrated 100 small businesses from across the country, part of Deluxe’s 100th anniversary campaign. In 2016, he led the Small Business Revolution Main Street project which infused $500,000 in marketing services and construction updates to Wabash, Indiana. The eight-part web series aired on www.smallbusinessrevolution.org.
Urban Impact Inc., harnesses strategic investments and collaborative efforts to foster a vibrant and sustainable future, from visionary adaptive reuse ventures to transformative development grants for small businesses and property owners in Birmingham, Alabama's historic 4th Avenue Black Business District.
In the last episode of season two of Main Street Business Insights, tune in as host Matt Wagner breaks down how to understand and synthesize local market data.
Sterling Main Street launched a brick and mortar retail incubator spaces. Executive Director Janna Groharing shares lessons they learned about organization, fundraising, and outreach.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Glen Ellis, owner of Sycamore Education, Dominion Catalyst Services, and Milady Coffeehouse in Fremont, Nebraska.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Jaime Courtney, President of Shoalwater Seafood, Derek King, Oyster Farm Director of Shoalwater Seafood, and Shane Thomas, Tribal Council Vice Chair of the Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe.
Sarah Cole, owner of Abadir’s in Greensboro, Ala., was a 2023 Backing Small Businesses grantee. Abadir’s is a pop-up eatery specializing in seasonal and wholesome baked goods influenced by Egyptian traditions and flavors combined with inspiration from true Southern cuisine.
In this episode of the Main Street Business Insights podcast, Matt sits down with Casey Woods, Executive Director of Emporia Main Street in Emporia, Kansas.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Nicole Fleetwood and McKinzie Hodges, co-owners of Scratch Made Bakery in Amarillo, Texas.
Tylisya Gober, owner of Barbie Behavior Boutique in Oak Park, Mich., was a 2023 Backing Small Businesses grantee. Barbie Behavior is a women’s clothing boutique specializing in celebrity-inspired attire.
Tiffany Fixter, owner of Brewability in Englewood, Colorado, was a 2023 Backing Small Businesses grantee. Brewability is an inclusive brewery and pizzeria that employs adults with disabilities to brew craft beer.
We’re excited to announce that Main Street America will continue to offer virtual and on-demand small business training in 2024 through an evolved program, the Small Biz Digital Trainers program.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Tiffany Fixter, owner of Brewability, an inclusive craft brewery and pizzeria that employs adults with disabilities based in Englewood,
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Jennifer Jones, co-owner of Good Times Coal Fired Pizza and Pub in Big Stone Gap, Virginia.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Bobby Boone, founder and Chief Strategist of &Access. Based in New Orleans, La., &Access creates data-driven and design-centric retail real estate solutions for historically excluded entrepreneurs and under-invested neighborhoods.
New Orleans, Louisiana © Bobby Boone
Tasha Sams, Manager of Education Programs, shares highlights of phase one of the Equitable Entrepreneurial Ecosystems (E3) in Rural Main Streets Program and the biggest takeaways from the workshop experiences.
In this video, learn more about the Williams’ family story, how the business is helping to revive downtown Helena, and the impact they’re having on a national level.
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Janet Hurn, co-founder of Future Ready Consulting in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Cincinnati, Ohio © Janet Hurn
In this episode of Main Street Business Insights, Matt sits down with Derrick Braziel, owner of Pata Roja Taqueria and co-founder of MORTAR, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Matt Wagner, Ph.D., shares his predictions for the trends impacting small businesses in 2024.
Chief Program Officer Matt Wagner, Ph.D., shares his predictions for the trends impacting small businesses in 2024.
A podcast featuring some of the best advice we heard from entrepreneurs and community leaders across the country.
Our research team shares the results of the Fall 2023 Small Business Survey.
Learn how local entrepreneurs have leveraged the power of a Main Street community to establish, maintain, and grow their ventures.
Learn how this organization is uplifting business owners and preventing displacement.
Charlotte, NC © Pixabay
Small Business Saturday is an important opportunity to show your support for local businesses. We asked business owners across the network what your support means to them.
Laramie, WY © Laramie Main Street Alliance
Meet the latest recipients of the Backing Small Businesses Program from American Express!
Matt sits down with Jamie and Jerry Baker, co-owners and founders of Trendy Teachers, a teaching boutique and educational toy store located in downtown Rome, Georgia.
This holiday season, rally your communities around the small businesses that help make your downtown thrive.
Small Business Saturday is Nov. 25! Check out these five strategies to celebrate shopping small.
Middlesboro Main Street in Middlesboro, Ky., Puerto Rican Cultural Center in Chicago, Ill., and Sugar Creek Business Association in Charlotte, N.C., have each been awarded $100,000 through The Hartford Small Business Accelerator Grant Program in partnership with Main Street America.
Matt sat down with Anette Soto Landeros, co-owner of Casa Azul Coffee and President and CEO of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Fort Worth, Texas.
Matt Wagner sat down with Danny Reynolds, president and owner of Stephenson's, an independently owned high-end fashion retailer in downtown Elkhart, Indiana.
Matt Wagner sat down with Harvey Williams, Co-Founder and CEO of Delta Dirt Distillery in Helena, Arkansas.
Learn how the Little Santo Domingo neighborhood of Miami is working with the Truist Foundation to strengthen pathways to small business ownership.
© Allapattah CDC
Get ready to support your small business owners and encourage people to shop small this November!
Matt Wagner sat down with the CEO of Keith McDonald Plumbing in Milledgeville, Ga., Lindsay Goodson McDonald.
Learn how the South Carolina Coordinator Program is uplifting small businesses across the state with their dedicated e-commerce platform.
© Main Street South Carolina
Matt Wagner sat down with The Barbershop Conversation podcast team, co-hosts Kenneth Bentley and Davion Hampton along with executive producer Emory Green Jr., in Goldsboro, Florida.
From a cat cafe to a computer repair shop and museum, check out these innovative small businesses from across the Main Street network.
© Historic Valley Junction
This three-week live, online course will prepare local leaders to more effectively work with small business owners in their districts and create an environment that is supportive of entrepreneurship.
© Notice Pictures
Main Street America has a podcast! Tune into Main Street Business Insights to hear from small business leaders across the country.
Meet the 2023 recipients for the Backing Small Businesses grant program, presented by American Express, to provide financial support to small business owners to address critical needs and make a positive impact in their local communities.
In partnership with Grow with Google, our digital coaches will work with businesses in their home states, with a focus on those that operate in small towns and rural communities.
Congratulations to these innovative Shop Small events from across the Main Street network.
Stockbridge, GA © Stockbridge Main Street
Spencer Main Street's Main Street Micro Grants is injecting key funding into their small business ecosystem.
Spencer, IA © Spencer Main Street
Check out a deep dive into the results of our Spring 2023 Small Business Survey, plus insights to help inform the work of local leaders supporting entrepreneurs on Main Street.
Meet the communities who have been chosen to receive entrepreneurial support from Main Street America and the Kauffman Foundation.
We spoke to Debbie Ho, Executive Director at Chinatown Main Street, to learn about the history of women in Boston Chinatown.
Boston, MA © Kyle Klein
From program budgets to big achievements, here's the latest data on the Main Street Movement in 2023.
Franklin, TN © Brandon Jean
Learn how Downtown Inc and York County Economic Alliance are supporting marginalized small business owners in their community
York, PA © Sully Pinos
Meet Backing Small Businesses grantees Kim and Chris Casteel of Anew Life Prosthetics and Orthotics based in Detroit, Michigan.
Short stories about small business owners from Evart, Michigan.
Evart, MI © Storyville
Matt Wagner looks back at his small business predictions for 2022 and shares predictions for 2023.
Learn about the City of Boston’s efforts to invest in economic equity.
Learn how this West Virginia community redirected façade improvement funds to revive local commercial kitchens.
Matt Wagner wrote an article for the OECD blog on how can small business owners can combine digital tools with the power of place to find sustainable success.
Inspired by a session at the 2022 Main Street Now Conference, Main Street Ottumwa has launched the Business Builder Academy, an entrepreneurship course to help aspiring business owners start their ventures.
Ottumwa, IA © Main Street Ottumwa
Whether you are a seasoned American Express Small Business Saturday Neighborhood Champion or an entrepreneur joining this national movement for the first time, we’ve gathered a roundup of resources to support your “shop local” marketing efforts.
We spoke to three women who were awarded Inclusive Backing grants to learn more about their passions, their businesses, and their advice for other women.
Wixom, MI © Carissa Serylo
From social media scavenger hunts to downtown passports, the Main Street network has used countless innovative ways to encourage their communities to Shop Small®—and had plenty of fun doing it.
Oceanside, CA © Road West Photography
Main Street Franklin is leading the way in showing how women business owners can be a powerful force for change in their communities.
#EquityRising, Old Algiers Main Street Corporation's new job training program, seeks to combat rising cost of living by helping residents train for careers that will allow them to stay in their neighborhood.
Learn how the Small Business Census pilot project explored the demographics of the small businesses that call Main Street districts home.
Colville, WA © Colville Together
We spoke to three Black business owners who were awarded Backing Small Businesses grants from Main Street America and American Express to better understand their challenges, successes, and the kinds of support that have helped them the most.
Camden, AR © Kimberly Moore Davis
Main Street leaders and local development practitioners from around the world participated in this exciting webinar hosted by the OECD.
Learn how Silver City MainStreet is using Story Hours to connect local business owners with the community.
Silver City, NM © Silver City MainStreet
Main Street Skowhegan opened their new Skowhegan Center for Entrepreneurship, a downtown space for co-working, meeting, entrepreneurial support, trainings, and education.
Skowhegan, ME © Kristina Cannon
Main Street America is proud to support the Revitalizing Small and Local Businesses Act
Main Street America's research team shares the results of the 2022 Small Business Survey.
© JENNIFER E. WOLF
Learn about Show of Hands, an entrepreneurial program in multiple Main Street communities.
Wheeling, WV © Wheeling Heritage
Chief Program Officer Matt Wagner, Ph.D., shares his predictions for the trends affecting small businesses in 2022.
Is your Main Street ready for the biggest small business shopping day of the year?
Main Street Charles City organizes their annual 'WonderFall' event, a business decorating contest designed to have some fun with the autumnal season as well as provide a reminder of the importance of curb appeal in attracting the public’s attention.
Charles City, IA © Mark Wicks
Leverage NC, a partnership between North Carolina Main Street and the North Carolina League of Municipalities, hosted a four-part webinar series titled Better Community Planning & Economic Development led by Ed McMahon, Chair Emeritus of Main Street America and a leading national authority on land use policy and economic development.
Main Street Arkansas has brewed a new engaging way for tourists and residents alike to explore local Arkansas commercial districts: the Main Street Arkansas Coffee Trail.
Little Rock, AR © Main Street Arkansas
Matt Wagner explores how Main Streets can navigate workforce concerns in the post-pandemic economy.
We spoke with two Black entrepreneurs in UrbanMain commercial districts: L. May Creations in the Austin neighborhood of Chicago and The Four Way in south Memphis, Tennessee.
Memphis, TN © Four Way
Heart of Biddeford shares the strategies they developed to support Black-owned businesses in their community.
Biddeford, ME © Heart of Biddeford
We heard from organizations across the nation about the incredible impact their markets have had on community engagement, entrepreneur and small business support, and keeping their district vibrant.
The global pandemic gave us all a glimpse of a further dispersed future – a time when you don’t sit in a classroom at school, watch movies in a theater, or even go to the grocery store. Where do Main Streets fit in that model?
Appealing to mobility-challenged shoppers yields benefits beyond the store.
Fritz the dog has made his way into the hearts of the residents of LaBelle, Florida, and helped our Main Street Community find a way to make what we do more noticeable.
Altavista On Track, the local Main Street organization, is working to cultivate and sustain local entrepreneurs with an educational business launch competition, Pop-Up Altavista 2.0.
In Winchester, Virginia, one woman’s vision and commitment to downtown’s revitalization created an innovative community space for the Creative Class.
A business retention and expansion plan, properly implemented, not only helps keep businesses open but possibly even helps them expand.
The first rule of conducting business is “make it simple.” The easier it is to pay for merchandise, get entertainment or obtain a service, the more likely it is that people will take advantage of those options.
Main Street communities across the country are no stranger to seeking creative strategies to solve their most nagging issues – vacant buildings, marketing downtown, bolstering retail to name a few.
To understand the role that immigrant business owners play in Boston’s small business ecosystem, you need only to walk through any Boston Main Streets district.
Façade appearance is a critical aspect of the overall aesthetic appeal and unique character of downtown.
A lot of signs are necessary to make a downtown work well, but not every community knows what a good sign system looks like, or how instrumental it can be to the creation of a successful downtown.
Main Street Iowa, a program of the Iowa Economic Development Authority’s Iowa Downtown Resource Center, created a one-of-a-kind three-year program to provide help for performance venues located in Main Street districts.
