Hobart Chamber of Commerce
Hobart Main Street
For more than 30 years, Oklahoma’s Main Street program has been pumping new life back into the heart of communities across the state. Historic preservation, downtown revitalization efforts and powerful economic stimulation combine to restore the core assets of communities and enhance the quality of life for Oklahomans.
Four-point Approach
The Main Street program encourages economic development in Oklahoma communities and neighborhood districts through historic preservation in ways appropriate to today’s marketplace. By refocusing efforts to bring vibrancy back to a commercial district, your local program can find the self-reliance and empowerment it needs to rebuild a commercial district and increase the quality of life for residents.
The Main Street Four-Point Approach™ is tailored to meet the needs and opportunities of each local program. It encompasses work in four distinct areas – Design, Economic Vitality, Promotion, and Organization – that are combined to address all of the commercial district’s needs.
Design
The appearance of your Main Street district sets a vital first impression for your local historic commercial district. Capitalizing on its best assets – such as historic buildings and pedestrian-oriented streets – is just part of the story. By adding in an inviting atmosphere through attractive window displays, parking areas, building improvements, signs, sidewalks, landscaping and more, your historic core will a portray positive visual message about what your district has to offer.
Promotion
Marketing is a vital component of a successful Main Street program, framing a positive image and encouraging consumers and investors to live, work, shop, play, and invest in the district. Through local volunteers, you can market your district’s unique characteristics to residents, investors, business owners and visitors. Efforts such as advertising, retail promotional activity, special events, and marketing campaigns will improve consumer and investor confidence and encourage commercial activity and investment in the district.
Economic Vitality
The Main Street program helps make existing business owners more competitive while recruiting new businesses and economic uses to create a commercial district that responds to today’s consumer needs. By diversifying your district’s economic base and converting unused or underused commercial space into economically productive space, your historic core can strengthen its economic assets and boost the profitability of the district.
Organization
The first step is getting everyone to work toward the same goal. To have a successful Main Street revitalization program, the Organization Point needs to bring together the human and financial resources to reach your goals. A governing board and standing committees make up the fundamental organizational structure, while a paid program director coordinates and supports local volunteers. By using this structure, your local program can build the consensus and cooperation needed to bring vibrancy to a commercial district.
