Community Updates are submitted to the Director Liaison to present at quarterly Main Street Alabama Board meetings.
Enterprise
Main Street Enterprise kicked off the Spring with a Downtown Date Night, St. Patrick Day Shenanigans and a Spring Festival at the Monument. In May, they released their new brand at a public reveal event, “Taco ‘bout Branding.” Additionally, the first year of Hometown Hero Banners, a downtown beautification project/fundraiser to highlight heroes of all areas of service in our community were hung in the district. Click here to read Enterprise’s Brand Statement.
Wetumpka
Main Street Wetumpka has been busy. A few of the projects that the program tackled this Spring included: 1) installation of map stations - 12 front and back map stations located throughout downtown to help visitors navigate through our historic business district; 2) placement of four bike racks; 3) the Tourist Trap, a gateway experience and info/mini-merchandising space to help visitors appreciate all that Wetumpka has to offer, thanks to our Main Street Alabama/USDA "small box shop;" and 4) the completion of the third streetscape taking place on three streets.
Headland
Headland Main Street welcomed two new businesses this Spring, a distillery, Keel and Company, expanded their operation and moved their tasting room to the district, and the program received their final branding package from Main Street Alabama. The third season of the widely popular music series, Under the Oaks, is underway. This event, that held every third Friday from April through October, features a different band each month. Additionally, community partners are joining forces to make this season of Under the Oaks the best yet. For example, HNB First Bank sold popcorn from their tent with all proceeds donated to Headland Main Street, Bottle Tree Restaurant invited the Wok Man to stir fry shrimp on their porch, David Pizza invited his mom to cook, on their porch, her delicious and coveted street tacos and District 37 invited the Gussied Up Flower Truck to their business. The Motor Show had 31 vehicles participate during the event with winners in 3 classes and even with the additional of food at the local businesses, the six food trucks in attendance sold completely out of food. In May, artist Charles Simms, along with several of our volunteers completed the first mural in downtown Headland on the wall of HNB First Bank. The historical mural contains Headland’s old water tank, the depot, a cotton picker and peanut combine, the Headland Ram, a church with steeple, the high school, an historical bank picture and the Headland Sign.
Opelika Main Street hosted Jay Schlinsog, Downtown Professionals Network, for a Lunch and Learn with downtown business owners on how to adapt to the post-COVID-19 economy.
Montevallo
Montevallo Main Street has welcomed 3 new businesses to the district so far in 2021, with 7 more planning to open later in the year. The Promotion Committee cross-promoted the American Village’s Festival of Tulips with a downtown discount program (“Blooming Bargains”) and by planting tulips throughout downtown. The Design Committee recently won 3rd Place in an Earth Day Scavenger Hunt hosted by our community partners Impact Montevallo and Sustainable Montevallo, raising $100 for our program. And the EV Committee has financially supported the renovation of our painted fire hydrant trail—the “Pendleton Hydrant Parade”—which is now listed on the AllTrails app.
Montevallo Main Street also relaunched a signature event, Friday Nights at the Cove, a monthly free concert on Main Street in Owl’s Cove Park, a pocket park built during our streetscape project. Concerts are held April – July.
Athens
Athens Main Street kicked off their annual Investor Campaign and already reaping the benefits of their stakeholders’ support. During Small Business Week, retail shops and restaurants were featured in a social media spotlight promotion and #FacesofShopLocal campaign. As of May, the infrastructure in the Merchants Alley renovation project was 70% complete and $81,000 of the $110,000 goal had been raised from the private sector. Merchants Alley’s theme is “Athens Amplified” celebrating music through art.
Calera
Calera Main Street launched a First Friday Festival Series in February and has since quadrupled in attendance. Four businesses in the district won Shelby County’s “Best of the Best” awards. The first apartment was renovated and leased and two new businesses opened. An event venue is also expected to open soon. Currently underway, is the development of a Downtown Master Plan with Community Design Solutions.
Foley Main Street’s “Lucky to Love Foley” cash register ringing event was a great success with a 23% increase of business participation over last year and a 35% increase in sales reported. The program also held a 3X Exchange meeting bringing property owners and business owners together to brainstorm about downtown. Riviera Utilities is working to create the most efficient way to light up our alleys in preparation of the upcoming alley project. Wayfinding signs for our parking areas are being designed and the first batch of banners featuring Foley’s new brand were hung.
In late April, city employees joined committee members to walk the streets to develop a “punch list” of work to do including straightening streetlights, repairing and adding new planters. The city paid to have the sidewalks of the main thoroughfares power-washed. Sprucing up seems to be catching - on almost every street there are businesses painting, putting out flowerpots, and purchasing new awnings.
