Each year, Main Street America hosts the Great American Main Street Award and selects the best main street in America.  This honor recognizes exceptional Main Street communities.  Applications are taken from all accredited Main Street America programs.  And this year, one South Carolina town made the list!

To be selected for the Great American Main Street Award, Main Street professionals and leaders look for:

• Strength of the town’s Main Street program
• Commitment to historic preservation.
• Innovative programming
• Implementation of cross-sector partnerships,
• Community outreach and stakeholder engagement
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The winners of this year’s award were announced at the 2023 Main Street Now Conference in Boston, Massachusetts. There were 8 semifinalists that were narrowed down to just 3. According to Fox News, this is apparently a “unique” scenario, as they typically just award one., and see which South Carolina town made the list below!

• Danville, Virginia

  First up, you’ve got Danville, Virginia.  They are known for their rich manufacturing heritage. Revitalization efforts have been underway since 1999.  The downtown area is doing well, and the River District Association has helped create over 150 businesses and 1,200 residential spaces.

   

   

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  A post shared by Downtown Danville, VA (@riverdistrictassociation)

• Florence, South Carolina

  It’s close to 2 and a half hours from the Augusta area, and about an hour and a half from Myrtle Beach. And at just 8 blocks long,  Florence, South Carolina won the Great American Main Street award this year. The population is around 38,000. The area has dealt with years of negative public perception with lack of storefronts and racial divides.

  Back in 2002, the Downtown Florence Main Street organization was formed and they began revitalization efforts.  And it seems to have paid off! Over 90 new businesses have come into the main street area, and over 40 farmers market vendors support the town as well.  The town is flourishing with local dining options, public art, and buildings rich with history.

   

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  A post shared by Downtown Florence (@downtownflosc)

• Metuchen, New Jersey

  This suburban neighborhood is well known for its efforts to support small businesses.  Back in 2016, there were concerns with many vacancies, low business retention, and poor appearance.  Then the Metuchen Downtown Alliance was formed and established their “Shop Local” motto for the community.

  In the last few years, there has been major revitalization in the area, making the area a “vibrant, active ‘place to be’ in Central Jersey.”

   

   

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  A post shared by Downtown Florence (@downtownflosc)

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