Downtown Knowledge

If you are new to Maestro, and especially if you are new to downtown revitalization, the amount of data you think you need can often be overwhelming. One look at the property section alone can send an intern running to the for-profit side of the street faster than you can blink. However, not all hope…

Poll any group of downtown developers and ask them what business they are in. You’ll likely get answers such as “downtown revitalization, nonprofit, and community”, but make no mistake about it, Main Streets are in the Sales business. We aren’t selling widgets, even if you have a store that sells gift certificates. No, what downtowns…

It’s 2017 and having a website is no longer an option for an organization (or a business for that matter), it’s a requirement. When you want to find a business’ contact information the first thing you do is grab your phone… not to dial 411 (for the millennials, information was the fastest way to get…

Creating Partnerships can be a valuable asset for a downtown. Partnerships can be mutually beneficial and lead to great things for the end user (in our case visitors). Every downtown likely has a partnership with their city. The downtown organization keeps things vibrant, the city provides infrastructure. Beyond that, there is usually a clear delineation…

[vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text] It’s not just data, it’s success As a former Executive Director I know that there are days where taking the time to complete one more report is the last thing I want to do. You’ve stared at the numbers so many times that sometimes, without realizing it, you stop realizing just how important…

Spring is in full bloom and Summer is just around the corner. In downtown that usually means two things, more pedestrian traffic and event season. Look at any downtown calendar and you can usually find events all over the “good weather” months. We tend to pack a lot into downtown in those months, and it…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Tech Tools to Make Your Life Easier We love technology! Whether it’s a gadget, a toy, or software (such as the best software for your downtown), we’re all in. We are early adopters, beta testers, and pretty much just tech geeks…and we wouldn’t have it any other way. Along the way we’ve found some…

Too often in downtown revitalization we get caught up in the next project without taking time to tout the previous event. Sure, we may send a news release about the success of an event or letting people know who was recognized with an award. But how often to we write those before the event is…

There are many common threads amongst downtown and Main Street organizations. One of those is the need for volunteers. Volunteer recruitment can often turn into “who’s left”, rather than “who’s right”. Organization’s have a lot to do, from running events to updating the website, and don’t forget recruiting and helping new businesses. Spending time to…