The Medallion, Volume 59, Number 3, Summer 2021 Page: 4
15 p. : col. ill. ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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'-u - - H RWN
PROSE S
PROGRAM SHOWS RESILIENCE, GROWTHBy Debra Drescher
THC Main Street Program CoordinatorScary. Uncertain. Unsure. Bleak. These words described 2020
for Main Street programs and the small businesses in their
historic districts-not just in Texas, but across the country.
Innovative. Creative. Courageous. Inspiring. Resilient. These
words ended up defining Main Street during that chaotic and
challenging year.
The pandemic taught everyone lessons they didn't really want
to learn, but now that some businesses are opening back up,
it's a good time to be reminded of the positive aspects people
have missed. It's especially rewarding to focus on the things
Texans love about historic preservation and the independent
local businesses that have found their homes in historic
downtowns. People and places-these are what define
Main Street.
Last year brought intense struggle to almost all aspects
of Main Street, since retailers, restaurants, and others in
the "experience economy" couldn't operate traditionally.
At the same time, funding streams for local Main Street
programs declined.
As expected, reinvestment activity in Texas' local Main
Street districts dropped over what it was in 2019. But Texas'
88 local Main Street communities still reported about $260
million in 2020 downtown investment activity.
While many companies closed during the pandemic, there was
actually a net gain of 135 new small businesses in the network
during the same period. Local Main Street programs, their
cities, and their economic development organizations did their
part to assist small businesses by redirecting existing incentive
programs or creating new ones specifically for COVID- 19
relief in addition to federal sources.7-
Today, Texas Main Street programs continue to work hard
to restore local economies, support their small businesses,
and welcome visitors and customers back to downtown.
Likewise, Main Street entrepreneurs are reimagining their
business models to capitalize on the public's stronger
appreciation for the value of shopping local and shopping
small-especially when it can be done in an appealing, well-
cared-for historic downtown.
CREATIVE COMMERCE
In some Texas Main Street districts, restaurants and bars
merged into a single space to expand their business models
and capacity; in another city, a coffee and tea shop combined.
Pilot projects to support changing business models were tested
during this time as well. In Tyler and San Marcos, both urban
Main Street programs, curbside parking and pop-up models
were created to address immediate business needs and gauge
for possible long-term implementation.
In 29-year Main Street community Mount Vernon
(population 2,749), local entrepreneurs Jeff and Amy Briscoe,
were especially impacted. As the owners of three local small
businesses, they tried not to panic when confronted with
periods of closure and declining sales. The answer? Sell their
home and move into the store!4 THE MEDALLION SUMMER 2021
TEXAS HISTORICAL COMMISSION
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Texas Historical Commission. The Medallion, Volume 59, Number 3, Summer 2021, periodical, Summer 2021; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1389370/m1/4/?q=Lamar+University: accessed June 5, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Historical Commission.