Something for the businesses

One can't help but get excited when big business does something to recognize small business. Perhaps that CEO had a nostalgic moment remembering the day he or she started up his or her company as a "small business" before it exploded. Or, perhaps that CEO secretely has Main Street in his or her blood. Everyone knows that once you've been a part of a Main Street downtown community, that passion for downtown stays with you for life. Whatever the reason, the excitement only builds when the bottom line is read, and the recognition to that small business comes in the form of recognizing the collaboration between the business and a growing business district community (a.k.a Main Street!).

I stumbled across this incredibly cool opportunity called "Small Business Big Dreams". The company IKEA is recognizing businesses that get the larger picture. Those that not only are focused in on making their own business a success, but also see how they fit in with the greater community. Businesses that not only have a vision and energy about their own company, but also about the growth of their downtown business district. And the best part is that when they collectively come together, IKEA will recognize them with a Main Street Makeover that is just for them.

Check this out and spread the word.
http://business.ikea.com/Ikea/siteshell/startup.html#,en;frontpage
Jump at this chance to get interior renovations for up to 10 businesses in your downtown community, which may even include your business. Sometimes, you just gotta love the passion and that entrepreneurial spirit that makes Main Street just that, Main Street.

All about the little things

Being in southwest Michigan opens ones eyes to an enormous amount of quaint little downtown's in places with populations no greater than 2,000. The one thing I find incredibly telling is the amount of resources these small communities put into their historic downtown's.

Recently, my husband and I were on a drive through the plains of Michigan when suddenly we came upon an area filled with banners. Now, let me stop here for a moment and explain. To those of you who have not had the privilege of exploring the area up here, most of the routes around this area are reached by small, two lane roads that stretch for miles. There aren't a lot of 4 lane highways, but to get from one major highway to another, you must take a small, two lane road for at least 10 miles. As you drive, you find yourself popping from one little town or village to another. These roads then end up becoming a community's "Main Street" even if it is not named so. It truly makes for a true sight seeing trip even if you are only headed to the nearest pet supply store.

Back to the banners. We looked up and there were these beautiful, bright, vibrant banners hanging on older cobra style light posts that said "Downtown" and "The Place to Bee" with bee's swarming across the intensely blue canvas. Before I even had a chance to see any buildings or shops whatsoever, I knew we had arrived in a unique place. I wanted to stop and spend an hour or so walking up and down the street that was lined with these majestic banners just screaming at me, the outside visitor, to stop and meander a while!

Driving through the little town, I noticed there really wasn't a lot to do...there wasn't a lot of shops, but there was the most powerful, overwhelming impression to this outsider that the amount of pride put into this town was enough to make me stop. It was enough to get me to walk into the local hardware store that I may not even need to walk into. It was enough to help me see that in cities across the country today, where resources are scarce, that investing in the historic downtown core is what makes people stop and explore - truly explore - that particularly city. It isn't the big box retailer that sits up against the Interstate. It certainly isn't the run down part of town with no streetscape enhancements whatsoever. It is the places that, whether or not a big time investor has stepped in and put in major capital, tell the world how proud they are of their city. Their town. Their community. These places don't wait for the private sector to step up. They wait for the people to come after they shout out to the world - be it in the form of banners, welcome signs, way finding signs, whatever - we are proud of the place we are, and proud of who we are and where we came from, and by george, stop and explore our quaint little town we call "downtown".

Mistaken Development

Why do I dedicate the professional portion of my life to downtown development? This is a question I'm often asked, and one I often ask myself...

Last week I was in Chicago for the day with my husband and was reminded why I do what I do. It had been several years since I had been to Chicago and now that we live 1.5 hours away, we ventured over for the day and loved every minute....the eclectic people, places, food, everything. The most beautiful architecture is still found in this city that has been so carefully preserved...there are well over 100 TIF districts around that city (130 at my last count) and those districts are working little by little to bring the older neighborhoods back to the beauty they once originally were. The parks, phenomenal. The green space, beautiful. The architecture, breath taking. The restaurants and shops, vibrant. The people, healthy with so much to do! The cultural opportunities, abundant.

When we arrived, a banner waved to us. It said "Laugh. Stay. Dance." and that's just what we did. The historic "Chicago Public Library", majestically built in 1897 now sits surrounded by tall, modern skyscrapers...a true diamond among the cubic zirconia. With a genuine mix of Italian Renaissance, Greek and Neo-Greco architecture, this building was the real deal.

Wrigley Field, another diamond, built in 1914, is one of the last standing true all American ballparks and is found opposite town from the cubic zirconian ballpark, the White Sox's U.S. Cellular Field. I have nothing against the White Sox for all you Sox fans out there, by the way. But, Wrigley Field...U.S. Cellular Field....I mean seriously. The name says it all. Wrigley Field is set in the middle of the spirited North Side neighborhood where people sit on top of their apartment buildings, stand down on the street by the most awesome gated view of the field, just to catch a glimpse of their home team...the Cubbies. This is THE ALL AMERICAN BALL PARK, a pre-war stadium no less. I can only imagine games back in the day, during the war, played on that very field, in that very stadium.

The part that causes me to write what I'm writing, the most tragic part is that there are rumors going around (even if untrue, leave me with this thought) that the stadium may be torn down to build a much more modern, more grand ballpark. All in the name of "development". All to appeal to the largely growing majority that don't like the experience of going to Wrigley because, in their own words, it's so old and dirty...nothing like the one's they're used to today. Come on, people....again...U.S. Cellular Field?? Are they dreaming of one day heading off to a watch the Cubs play at the "Quilted Northern Field" because Quilted Northern Super Absorbent Bathroom Tissue is willing to sponsor a new field in a more modern setting? Now that would really sum it up. Where is the pride.

My husband and I are headed to a game next Sunday...I can't wait for the experience of watching a major league game in a park the way baseball was made to be back in the day....seeing the people watching from their rooftops...smelling the hot dogs, peanuts and popcorn....sitting in a truly historic landmark for the City of Chicago in a truly historic neighborhood where, get this, you can't even really park to get to the game. No big, tall parking garages or large flat asphalt parking lots that go for miles...just cool, old, beautifully quaint apartment buildings, houses, bars, restaurants...all surrounding the park. The way the experience of baseball in America was meant to be.

So while my growing blog keeps growing, I just have to say that the reason I do what I do is to keep that historic integrity alive. Keep those landmarks around this country alive. And work to help great cities who may have been buried under the dust of "modern development" blow off that dust and find the beauty that was there, and is still there, in the most effective ways possible. These gems like Wrigley Field just make me happy there are still people out there that get that...and the rumors of tearing it down make me sad there are still people out there that don't get it and somehow - in today's era of historic preservation and national Main Street movements - somehow still win.

I love what I do...and I can't wait to truly experience the historic beauty that still stands in North Chicago...and while we're at it of course, watch the Cubs play ball!