The 2014 National Main Streets Conference was a great example of resilience, innovation and hard work, all visible in the conference location — Detroit, “a city that is actively building on its cultural and heritage assets to overcome economic challenges.”
This empty building is located in downtown Detroit and features hand-painted messages and hearts in the windows.
The Conference kicked off Saturday with a welcoming reception in downtown Ferndale, located in the first ring of suburbs outside the city. Ferndale, a former GAMSA winner (Great American MainStreet Award), features an eclectic mix of shops, restaurants, pubs, breweries and distilleries. The main focal point of the evening was the Rust Belt Market, an indie artisan market that played host to the reception party, where attendees could sample local foods, Ferndale-based brews and cocktails, and take in the Motown and funk sound of local musicians.
Local musicians performing for MainStreeters at the Rust Belt Market in downtown Ferndale.
The official opening reception of the conference was held at Campus Martius park in downtown Detroit. The 2.5 acre public square and year-round entertainment venue is Detroit’s point of origin for all the major avenues which radiate out.
Several of the New Mexico MainStreet local representatives enjoying the music and refreshments at the conference opening reception.
The Opening Plenary session was held on Sunday and featured keynote speaker Donovan Rypkema of PlaceEconomics. Rypkema discussed the economic impact of MainStreet communities, citing information from several past studies, one specifically focused on the Economic Impact of MainStreet in New Mexico. Visit this link for the full New Mexico report:
http://nmmainstreet.org/resources/2014/New_Mexico_Final_Reportfinal.pdf
Several representatives from New Mexico presented at the National Conference. NM MainStreet Program Associates Robyne Beaubian and Elmo Baca both presented or participated in sessions: Robyne’s two presentations were titled “Get It Together: Apps, Tips and Tricks for Better Time Management” and “Mastering A Social Media Calendar”, while Elmo was a co-presenter in a session titled “Saving Historic Theatres”. Amanda Melvin, local executive director of Carlsbad MainStreet, presented “Coaching for Results: Your Leadership and Communication Skills”.
The Fox Theatre is a beautiful theatre in downtown Detroit, Michigan. Opened in 1928 as the flagship movie palace for the Fox Theatre Chain, it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1988 and has a capacity of 5,048 seats and plays host to many top shows and events.
Throughout the conference, buses were available to take attendees to various neighborhoods during lunchtime. On Monday, buses ran to Mexicantown, a neighborhood that is home to a large Mexican immigrant population, featuring many restaurants, boutiques featuring Mexican wares, and Mexican grocery stores.
Mexicantown is a Detroit neighborhood that is home to a large Mexican population and features a variety of Mexican restaurants and gift shoppes.
The conference closed with a fantastic reception at Detroit’s Eastern Market, featuring skateboarders, graffiti artists, a marching band and a rock band playing music from the last four decades. There was food supplied by local food trucks and refreshments provided by local breweries and wineries. It was a great way to end an exciting and inspiring conference!
One of the several sheds that make up the Eastern Market in Detroit. This market is the oldest-running in the country.