Follow Nashville and Greeneville's lead and protect the vibrancy of main streets | Opinion
There’s no place like Broadway for nightlife.
Storefronts are packed with live music, dining, and shopping. But not every city has such a vibrant Main Street. In communities struggling to attract retailers, local leaders must take action to create a friendly business environment and support their local economy.
Over the last few years, downtowns across America have come to feel vastly different. Some thrived – recruiting new residents and businesses to serve them. Data show growth in the number of physical business establishments in the South and West, where other economic indicators of recovery are also strong. But others have struggled, due in part to remote work changing the nature of what it means to be a “downtown.” Cities face varying paths forward for downtown recovery, creating ripple effects into their respective retail landscapes.
Other factors are also reshaping the retail landscape, including the rise of e-commerce. Online sales have steadily grown since the early 2000s but jumped dramatically at the start of the pandemic.
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The new way is not physical vs. digital but ‘phygital’
Interestingly, new research from the National League of Cities shows this rise in e-commerce has not driven closures of brick-and-mortar retail stores.
Although some retailers have stores less in “downtowns” due to reduced foot traffic given hybrid work schedules, many stores have opened in more “neighborhood” areas to provide a “phygital” experience – meaning a blending of physical and digital shopping experiences.
This allows consumers to buy online and return in store, browse in store before purchasing online, or order delivery through an app; in fact, 55% of shoppers still visit a physical store, even if a final purchase is made online.
These “phygital” arrangements make e-commerce and physical retail interdependent – changing how commerce is conducted.
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Preservation and revitalization work hand-in-hand
Local leaders must take note. People are searching for modern retail experiences – and Main Street revitalizations can hold the answers. Just look at other Tennessee cities for inspiration.
The City of Greeneville provides incentives to improve the facades of commercial buildings within the Main Street Overlay District.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee provided funding in 2021 for these grants, and last year, the Rural Planning Organization awarded Greeneville nearly $950,000 to develop a pedestrian master plan for the historic downtown.
Similarly, Sweetwater was accepted to the Tennessee Downtowns program and became a nationally accredited Main Street Community. Sweetwater leveraged state funding and partnered with local architect Sam Moser to offer amenities for a restaurant, rental assistance for entrepreneurs, and free trainings for new businesses through Cleveland State Community College.
This holistic approach to restoring historic amenities while revitalizing the retail landscape can be tailored to other cities’ needs and adopted.
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The future depends on embracing change
None of this happened by accident; all required foresight and action by local leaders. Great opportunities abound for municipalities who are strategic and thinking ahead – like Greeneville, Sweetwater, and Nashville. But it’s no longer optional in these changing times – it’s required.
Leaders are gathering for the Tennessee Municipal League’s 83rd Annual Conference in Nashville July 22-25. Central to those discussions should be how elected officials can support thriving Main Streets and the communities surrounding them.
I will join Greeneville City Administrator Todd Smith, Sweetwater Main Street Coordinator Jessica Morgan, and the Tennessee Retail Alliance’s Angie Carrier at the Conference to discuss what has (and hasn’t) worked, as well as new research detailing recent changes to the retail landscape.
It is unsettling to acknowledge when change is underfoot, making it all the more important to stay ahead of it. As communities’ needs and the retail landscape change, local elected officials must remain proactive to ensure vibrancy and success of communities and the businesses within them. The future depends on it.
Lena Geraghty is director of sustainability and innovation at the National League of Cities, an organization comprising city, town and village leaders that are focused on improving the quality of life for their current and future residents.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Follow Nashville and Greeneville and protect vibrancy of main streets
