Main Street America brings to light the impact of COVID-19 through its recent survey with particular interest dedicated to our local main street businesses. They found that despite the troubles over the past year there is much to hope for in the power of people.

Over the past year, whether you’re in a metropolis, rural suburb, or quaint town, COVID-19 has affected everyone including the people we talk with daily—from our cashier during grocery runs to the local store, our barber during our weekly haircuts, and our Saturday shopping sprees at boutiques:
“88% of small business owner respondents were concerned about the risk of permeant closure… 29% reporting they wouldn’t last beyond the next three months… 45% reporting they won’t last beyond the next six months… 51% of businesses had laid off or lost employees…net loss of 2,380 jobs” (Small Business and Main Street Program Insights, Michael Powe).

These places are bearing the burden under imposed regulations and lockdowns that have put barriers and hurdles in the way of providing what their communities need and their livelihood; including our beloved historic mom-and-pop shops or new innovative entrepreneur ventures. This has created further duress as the tools that have equipped many in both urban and rural centers to attain financial freedom, have now been pulled out from under them as a result of the pandemic:
“frustrations with changing regulations on business operations…new expenses to adapt operations…coping with reduced demand…frustration with requiring customers to abide by mask and social distancing regulations…additional credit card debt [and more financial strains] … leaning on savings [and other assets] to keep their business afloat” (Small Business and Main Street Program Insights, Michael Powe).

Then what has kept communities across Missouri afloat throughout the ongoing pandemic? Is it the hope of a promised stimulus check, I doubt it? It is the measures that small businesses and local organizations have taken to not only support their communities but to support themselves, which have been far beyond what many could imagine and have carried us this far. This exceptional strength, dedication, and collective power grows out of the resilience of people in their communities that won’t give up no matter what odds are stacked against them. They adapt to what life throws at them because their livelihood depends on it and that is the life they are used to as members and owners of working-class America. Main street programs are continually supporting their communities in lieu of government aid and help allocate the aid that is available to those who need it most:
“feeling the crisis in their own work… 63% of programs expect to have reduced budgets” “but 58% of programs expect they will try to do more with less” (Small Business and Main Street Program Insights, Michael Powe).

March 12, 2021 |  9:00AM - 4:00PM CST

We are excited to be partnering with Georgia Main Street on this workshop! In this workshop, five audiences will be identified as those to which you need to be able to communicate your brand. We will discuss creative ways to expand your brand and to communicate the value and importance of what your organization does for the community. 

This workshop offers a good opportunity to learn how to highlight the impact and value of your Main Street program. This training will teach you the tools to build the case for continued support and sustaining your organization in the future.

All attendees will learn from examples that will be shared from around the country.

About The Presenter:
BEN MULDROW  is a place branding and economic development expert who has spent the last 18 years assisting communities to develop identities that attract investors and encourage private and public organizations to commit to community development projects that lead to economic vitality, environmental stewardship, and social advancement.

As a partner at Arnett Muldrow & Associates, Ben has designed creative branding and marketing systems in over 600 communities across 40 states and 5 countries, making him a true leader in place branding and cementing his ability to combine strategic planning, brand development, interactive marketing, public relations, and social media capabilities to preserve and promote the power of place. 

In the Main Street world, Ben is known as a true innovator. Not only has he introduced the Main Street world to branding, he has introduced the ideas of micro-retail incubation, retail master plans, the five audiences of Main Street, and most recently he has created a template adopted across the country to communicate the effectiveness of our local programs. Ben has spoken at 14 National Main Street Conferences, keynoted numerous state and regional Main Street conferences, and has spoken to over 250,000 people about the importance of America’s downtowns. A founding contributor of Proud Places, and collaborator with Reopen Main Street, Ben is passionate about the relationships between people and place.

More details and registration available here:  
https://www.momainstreet.org//Programs.aspx?PID=86

Wednesday, January 6th at 8:30AM

MMSC will host Mornings on Main on Wednesday, January 6th at 8:30 AM. The nation’s economy continues to recover from the COVID shock that triggered the deepest recession since World War II. How will Main Street businesses and households fare in 2021?

There are limits to what government policies can do, so the answer depends to a great extent on how quickly business people and consumers are able to return to something like the pre-pandemic normal.

William R. Emmons is an assistant vice president and economist in the Supervision Division at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. He co-founded and served as the lead economist in the Center for Household Financial Stability from 2013 to 2020.

Register here!

Mornings on Main with Seanette Corkill and Anne Marie Luthro
Wednesday, September 16 at 8:30AM 

To say that COVID-19 has changed things is quite the understatement! In this 60-minute, “Getting Back in the Game” presentation, retail specialists, Seanette Corkill and Anne Marie Luthro, will explore where shoppers are now both emotionally and physically and what retailers can do to accommodate them and still deliver a great store experience during this pandemic. This presentation and conversation will cover shopper expectations and behaviors, best practices for storefronts, what a new level of customer service means, floor plans and visual merchandising tactics that accommodate social distancing, and no-touch shopping.

Seanette Corkill is the owner of Frontdoor Back, a store design and visual merchandising firm. Seanette’s focus is helping independent businesses stay competitive. She is an experienced and objective retail environment expert. Seanette is also a frequent National and regional Main Street speaker and presents on topics such as store design, building facades, window displays, lighting terminology and techniques, and visual merchandising to retail groups and business districts across the country. Seanette provides custom training and design solutions for store owners. She is effective at applying retail space planning and design principals to improve a store’s “retail sophistication“ and stimulate sales. Her forte is identifying small changes that create big impacts.

Anne Marie Luthro, principal of AML Insights, is a shopper behavior and retail strategy expert trained at focusing a critical eye and a keen ear on all things retail. Anne Marie researches the MAZE– any retail environment, the MOUSE– key shoppers, and the CHEESE– the stores’ products and services. Finding the right balance of power, the pain points, and the moments of joy in stores are keys in creating profitable retail experiences. She spent twenty years studying Fortune 500 retailers and their shoppers’ behaviors. AML combines databased research and historical perspective when consulting for retailers.

Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3373867231777344784

Missouri Main Street Connection has partnered with AARP to launch Community Resiliency Projects that will take place in selected Missouri communities. The five selected communities will receive $5,000 each to implement their proposed Community Resiliency Project and can request to receive design assistance. It is important for small businesses to activate spaces in new ways to meet the changing business climate as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The downtown districts chosen for these projects will be accessible for all ages to ensure the entire community can utilize them as well as provide new spaces for small businesses to use. The application is available now on MoMainStreet.org.

Mornings on Main with Kirsten Borgstrom
Wednesday, August 5 at 8:30AM

You’ve heard it before, good communication skills are key to success in life. It’s no different in non-profit organizations and business. Good communication skills are key to a successful organization and business.

Join us as we talk through a Strategic Communications Plan, including the necessary steps to create the plan, how to implement, track, and evaluate to be effective at communicating with your audience.

Kirsten Borgstrom is a Principal with Place + Main Advisors, a Michigan-based company moving communities forward with Economic Development, Community Marketing, Real Estate Redevelopment, Placemaking, and Communications strategies. Ms. Borgstrom has more than 20 years of hands-on marketing and public relations experience in travel and tourism, economic development, real estate development, and sports marketing. Her varied expertise includes creating comprehensive communications strategies to successfully pitching client stories at the local, regional, and national levels.

Register here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/8117229662572530445

Mornings on Main with Derek Lumsden
Wednesday, June 3 at 8:30AM 

Mornings on Main webinar will focus on rules of thumb to help recession and pandemic proof your communities to develop more resilient places in the future. Derek Lumsden will give high level views on what to do from the Main Street, downtown organization, and small business perspectives.

Derek has been involved in downtown economic development and historic preservation for over 10 years. He has his certification from Main Street America as a revitalization professional. Derek has served on the Enhance Iowa Board, a statewide board dedicated to improving quality of life and supporting local "placemaking" through grant initiatives.

Register here: 
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5412473938289356301

Mornings on Main with Randy Wilson
Wednesday, May 27 at 8:30AM

Historically, “disaster” was thought of in terms of hurricanes, tornadoes, fire, or flooding. More recently, we’ve become aware of a different kind of ‘disaster’ on a global scale related to a viral pandemic. During times of recovery from disaster, are there strategies to be employed from a design perspective that can not only help our communities recover as swiftly as possible, but potentially be better prepared for any impending disaster in the future? 

Randy Wilson will share best practices for design within the context of disaster recovery based on his experience in spearheading planning exercises in ten Mississippi coastal communities after Hurricane Katrina, as well as participating with a team of professionals that prepared eight disaster recovery plans for Vermont communities responding to Hurricane Sandy and Tropical Storm Irene.

Together with webinar participants, he will facilitate a discussion on how we can address COVID-19 from a design perspective. Come prepared to learn and participate with this fast-paced, highly visual webinar that can better prepare our communities for appropriate responses to disasters from a Main Street design perspective.

Randy Wilson established Community Design Solutions in 2005 as a community-based planning firm devoted to delivering creative, asset-based design services for community building. Mr. Wilson serves as the consulting architect to Main Street South Carolina and is also the Project Architect for Lake City, SC where he has facilitated the renovation of more than 40 facades, two parks, and streetscape design. In 2019, Lake City was named America’s “#1 Small Town Cultural Scene” by USA Today. Prior to his role in Lake City, he was the consulting architect to Mississippi Main Street Association. To date, he has participated in over 400 resource teams and design and planning charrettes nationwide.

Mornings on Main webinar is taking a look ahead at “new reality” possibilities and working to compile potential reopening strategies, ideas, hints and tips for businesses, business districts, and organizations as we enter the COVID-19 recovery phase.   This webinar will be presented by Jay Schlinsog of https://reopenmainstreet.com/


Jay has thirty years of community and economic development experience working at both the local level and with more than 200 communities and organizations across the United States. His areas of specialty include market research and analysis, business retention and recruitment, management, and communications.  In 2000, Jay founded Downtown Professionals Network (DPN) as a collaborative for industry-leading advocates and practitioners who specialize in downtown and business district revitalization solutions.  Prior to launching DPN, Jay served as executive director with Main Street and Chamber of Commerce organizations in Idaho, Illinois, Washington and Wisconsin.   

Register Here:
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7101703129539425038

Mornings on Main free webinar will feature Joe Borgstrom presenting on Redefining Retail and Reopening Downtown on Wednesday, May 6. This webinar will discuss how to ease the transition from closed to open in our downtown districts and strategies business owners can use in this new environment.

Joe Borgstrom is an accomplished professional in the fields of downtown redevelopment, community and economic development, Main Street and placemaking. Joe and his wife Kirsten started their business Place + Main Advisors bringing over 40 years of experience. They specialize in downtown & economic development and implementation assistance services. Joe was formerly the Director of Downtown & Community Services at MSHDA, which included the national award winning Michigan Main Street program. 

Register here: 
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/3758400530662584845