Small shops offer more to downtowns than a historic or small-town feel. They help main streets adapt to and recover from recessions.
Connecticut Main Street Center CEO Patrick McMahon brought this advice to the Municipal Voice, a co-production of the Connecticut Conference of Municipalities and WNHH.
“The thing about downtowns is that they’re very resilient because there’s multiple small spaces. It’s easier to fill smaller spaces than larger white elephants,” McMahon said.
Connecticut Main Street Center (CMSC) focuses on economic development with a historic preservation twist. The Hartford-based nonprofit both educates municipal leaders about recovery and resiliency options and lobbies to protect funds like the Small Town Economic Assistance Program (STEAP) and the Community Investment Act.
The Covid-19 recession has highlighted the need for such aid.
McMahon estimated that some 600 restaurants and an untold number of businesses had closed due to the ongoing pandemic.
Federal programs have helped. The first round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans was an absolute lifesaver, he said. The second round of PPP closes on March 31; small businesses can apply through lenders until then.
Local main street groups have also made a difference.
McMahon noted the success of a program started by Berlin Director of Economic Development Chris Edge called Eat Local, Win Local. Residents could enter a raffle for $25 restaurant gift cards by submitting receipts for meals at two local restaurants.
The contest worked so well in Berlin that other towns around the state copied the idea.
In the absence of normal events, these promotions are necessary to drive shoppers downtown, McMahon said. Social media campaigns and pop-up shops help make up for events like St. Patrick’s Day parades that have now been cancelled for two years in a row.
Small scale manufacturers like craft roasters or breweries can fill the small spaces downtown. Transit-oriented development and old strategies like brownfield remediation continue to help spur economic growth and ultimately keep residents in the state.
Empty nesters do not necessarily want the burden of the single-family house. A nice, downtown living space near arts venues and restaurants attract these families, while young talent “wants to be where there’s a vibe,” he said. In this way, the vibrancy of main streets help keep both the young and old in Connecticut.
