The Last Word Main Street Matters by Jay Ellis
As a nonprofit organization , Jeffersonville Main
Street , Inc . has been helping with the revitalization of downtown Jeffersonville for the last 30 years . For us , “ Downtown ” and “ Main Street ” are iconic , interchangeable terms that both mean the historic core of our community . Thanks to the efforts and partnerships of many people and organizations downtown Jeffersonville has made a dramatic recovery from the days of dilapidated buildings and empty storefronts . Historic preservation , infill development , public investment , special events , innovative solutions , and small business moxie have helped revitalize downtown Jeffersonville .
However , it ’ s definitely an understatement to say that 2020 has been a challenging year for small businesses in America , and downtown Jeffersonville is no stranger to the burdens created by the coronavirus pandemic . The challenges faced by small businesses have been manifold , but chief among them has been finding ways to succeed in the midst of tectonic shifts in consumer behavior patterns due to the pandemic . Businesses in downtown primarily depend on attracting customers through the distinctive sense of place found in an historic downtown district , coupled with the unique products or services that independent businesses do so well . Downtown Jeffersonville is a place where creative entrepreneurs can thrive because it ’ s a place that has learned to evolve and reinvent itself through 20 decades of endeavors . Downtown Jeffersonville is tough and resilient : It has endured floods , fires , wars , depressions , historic building tear-downs , suburban sprawl , big box stores , and other pandemics . Still , resiliency didn ’ t make the impacts from COVID-19 any less shocking . Springtime saw the pandemic make once busy restaurants , coffee shops , and boutiques into barren places . So in order to survive in 2020 , downtown businesses had to search that well of creativity and find new ways to safely interact with their customers through a variety of methods such as curbside pick-up , delivery , expanded outdoor interactions , and e-commerce .
Jeffersonville Main Street , Inc . has always been committed to the sustainability of businesses in downtown Jeffersonville and we have continued that commitment during the economic hardships resulting from the impacts of the pandemic . Recognizing these tough times , the organization created many
46 November / December 2020