ROCK SPRINGS – The Rock Springs Main Street/ Urban Renewal Agency is excited to announce that Downtown Rock Springs is a pilot community for an exciting new program by the National Main Street Center – Made on Main Street – and they need input and ideas from home business owners along with current storefront business owners.
Made on Main is a pilot program geared towards placing small manufacturers/producers in vacant downtown spaces, enhancing the entrepreneurship and business diversity in downtown communities. Producers/businesses like home brewers/breweries; artisans; food production; furniture; clothing; and health/wellness products continue to make up the business district in Downtown Rock Springs. Many people work out of their homes and have built up successful businesses that way, and might be ready to tackle the next step of a physical location dedicated to their business. Chad Banks, Urban Renewal Manager added, “Businesses may have a storefront, and that’s great too!”
This program is driven by Wyoming Main Street with the National Main Street Center’s Matt Wagner (Vice President of Revitalization Programs). Wyoming is the first state in the network of Main Streets that is undergoing the pilot program. We hope to not only create a viable program to move more of our communities forward in the small-scale production and entrepreneurship sector, but we also hope to set a precedent for how this can be done elsewhere.
The agency is hoping that businesses will join them at a focus group with Matt Wagner from the National Main Street Center. There is no obligation and there will be no pressure. They also do NOT have to have a downtown storefront. This will take place on Tuesday, August 27, 10 am to 11 am at The Broadway 9 am to 10:00 am – Discussion with Director and Lead Committee/Task Force to review and understand their goals, current conditions, and targets based on Transformation Strategies. The following is the agenda:
10 am to 11 am – Focus group of Small-Scale Producers.
11 am to Noon – Focus group of potential stakeholders (i.e. planning/zoning; economic development; Artisan/Crafter/Maker groups; library; college/university officials).
Lunch – Working lunch with Director and WYMS team to debrief focus group findings
(AFTERNOON – If possible would be great to have participation from the local community’s small scale production team/task force/EV Committee etc)
1 pm to 2 pm – Using the Small-Scale Production Audit – Assess current strengths and gaps within the support system for Small Scale Producers.
2:00 to 2:45 pm – Discussion around key gaps and Opportunities as aligned with Transformation Strategies.
Break
3:00 to 3:45 pm – Discussion of Key Stakeholders/Partners – Who Owns What?
3:45 to 4:30 pm – Discussion of possible projects for follow-up technical assistance.
