3. THE STAUNTON DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION IS A NONPROFIT ASSOCIATION ESTABLISHED TO ENHANCE DOWNTOWN STAUNTON’S ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT AS A CENTER OF COMMERCE WHILE MAINTAINING THE CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY OF THE CITY’S CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT AS AN ATTRACTIVE PLACE TO LIVE, WORK AND VISIT.
Est. 1994 Successful public-private partnership that has created 300 businesses, 997 jobs, $50 million in private investment and $31 million in public investment (Street Shot)
Events and promotions fill an important need for Downtown.
Event provide family entertainment and drive traffic.
They can serve to energize and streetscape with empty storefronts.
The respect and uphold community traditions and culture associated with Downtown.
Long term, (three weeks or more) programs that create customer or merchant loyalty, inspire shoppers or merchants to participate over a long period of time with sustainable, quantifiable and positive results.
Programs build on all of the positive elements of events and address challenges in the marketplace by enabling and supporting change. X Hours incentivizes evening shopping hours, enables merchant participation through advertising and supporting events and activities and educates the community to change perception and habits.
Main Street engages stakeholders in long range goal setting and strategies for increased performance, program improvements and adjustments. Programs engage businesses directly and promote them individually.
Business education is an essential element for optimum results. Featured internet promotional opportunities: Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, YouTube.
We partner with arts, performance and cultural organizations to provides inexpensive resources and to enrich the community experience with a variety of activities. Minds Wide Open Art Exhibit fills vacant storefront windows with compelling exhibits that highlight local non-profits and provdes street activity.
St. Entertainment engages performers and artists to perform on the sidewalk and in parking areas around Downtown 6-9 PM increasing traffic to support stores opening late.
The Gift Card is accepted at Downtown businesses. Denominations of $10, $20 and $50. No fees for the consumer or the merchant and has an 80% redemption rate. It acts as our local currency.
Educating the consumer about shopping locally at independent businesses through Buy Locally campaigns and individual business focused programs. Meet Me Downtown Campaign that focused on the merchants with a $5000 Gift Card Giveaway. We use a cooperative radio advertising utilizing the 3/50 information. (68 cents of each $1 spent goes back into the community.)