Blog
New Tech Tools
Some simple technology can improve your customer communications, recruit help and dress up your data! One of my favorite parts about the National Main Street conference is learning about all...
Who Actually Owns The Road?
Emporia Main Street recently conducted a survey on behalf of a local alternative transportation group. I'm sure they will reference the results of the survey as they move forward with...
Tech Time Savers
Time is a precious commodity for most entrepreneurs. Taking advantage of a few time saving strategies can help free you up for the other 1,000 things you have to do...
Emporia Main Street Data For 2014
Each quarter, Emporia Main Street collects data for an area roughly identified as "downtown". We conduct business outside of this area, but our original state reporting requirements that were tied...
Emporia’s Art and Soul District
We've heard a lot about the "Black and Gold" District, but what about the other districts downtown? Emporia has an unusually long downtown for a community of our size. As...
New Data Highlights Impact of Emporia Downtown Historic District
In May of 2012, Emporia Main Street was notified that our request for the development of a Federal and State recognized historic district was granted. For more than three years,...
Is Your Business Too Tech-Dependent?
Many of us are more technology dependent than we would like to admit. If our phones break or we get the "blue screen of death" on a home computer, we...
2014 In Review At Emporia Main Street
Emporia Main Street is a results oriented organization. The culture of measurable activities that push for community growth has been fostered by you, our membership, since the inception of the...
‘Tis the Season For Change
The recognition of fear with the very concept of change is something that all businesses, organizations and communities need to be acutely aware of. Abhorring change in all of its...
Chelsea Lofts Coming To Downtown!
Emporia Main Street Development Group, LLC announced a major new addition to downtown Emporia. The Chelsea Lofts, a new mixed use development containing nearly fifty residential units and 1,500 square...
New Lyon County Data
The University of Kansas Institute for Policy and Research releases data on the relative standing of Kansas counties. Included in this fifty-one page report are a series of different statistical...
Understanding Millennials & Their Impact On Your Business
Millennials - They have a different way of life, they value different things, and their priorities are different than those of the previous generations. But why should we care to...
The Veteran’s Banner Project
All of the Veteran's Banners are now placed on poles due to the quick work of the City of Emporia Public Works department. Since the public announcement of the Veteran's...
Holiday Continuity
Emporia Main Street has the ability to communicate "best practices" or "generally agreed upon traditions" with the local area without saying "you MUST do this." We don't have the power...
Collecting Relevant Sales Information
How are your sales? That's the question that everyone in the business world wants to know! In the non-profit world, you might replace the word "sales" with "donations", or "event...
How Failure To Do One “Little Thing” Can Cost Your Business Big
Most of our business advice columns are specific to a certain industry or category type. Businesses have become more "niche" over the past decade, and those individual nuances mean we...
Is Your Store Visually Appealing?
The Holidays are right around the corner (only 92 days until Christmas, can you believe it?). Is your store ready for 4th quarter? There are some very simple steps you...
10 Free Things You Can Do Right Now To Improve Your Business!
1. Keep it clean. Did you know that consumers determine whether they will enter your business in a 3 second time frame? A clean exterior and attractive windows can make a BIG difference....
Converting Festival Attendees Into Paying Customers
Through the Promotions Point in the Main Street concept, we focus on community marketing, the production of "register ringers" (like Midnight Madness or the Shop Hop) and "gathering" events (like...
Mitigating Your Business’ Energy Costs
"Overhead". "The cost of doing business." "Static costs." Whenever a set or necessary item in business increases in cost, businesses panic a little. How will the business either eat the...
Effective Advocacy for Local Business
Over the past few summers, we've heard from visitors to large Emporia events how much they like the Emporia community, how fantastic the people are and visitors expressed how much they...
Are Your Specials Actually Special?
Retailers, bars, restaurants and service businesses often struggle with "specials". Financial incentives through discounting can draw consumers into a business if conducted correctly, but without a plan they can simply...
Community Development | Lessons Learned From Detroit
When the National Main Street center invited Main Street communities from around the nation attend a National Conference in Detroit, you could almost feel an audible grown. Excitement to attend...
