Prom Show
"Why didn't you put a picture of the dresses on your newsletter?"  That question was asked by multiple people after last week's newsletter was released with a crowd shot...  Well, we aren't the greatest photographers, but we are blessed with volunteers like Dan Boyce from www.dandesigned.com that provided us will wonderful pictures like the one above featuring prom dresses from Kari's Bridal by Design and Bridal Boutique.

In This Issue #134 01/17/12
Calendar of Events
Start Your Own Business Class
Asset Based Economic Development
Did you know? Answers to YOUR questions.

Quick Links

 
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Granada Theatre 


Emporia Market Place button

 Emporia Main Street Calendar of Events 

January 18th

Board Meeting

 

8:00 a.m. in the Emporia Main Street office

 

 January 12-13

Kansas Main Street Quarterly Training- El Dorado

  

April 1-4

National Main Street Conference- Baltimore, MD

 

April 13-15

Glass Blown Open Disc Golf Tournament by Dynamic Discs

  

April 19-20

Kansas Main Street Quarterly Training, Dodge City

  

April 21

The Taste

Civic Auditorium

  

May 19

Downtown Car Show by the Flatland Cruisers

   

June 2

The Dirty Kanza

  

June 9th

Symphony in the Flint Hills

  
Do you have an upcoming event for your business or organization?  Let Emporia Main Street  know and we may include it on our upcoming calendars! 

 

Join Our Mailing List

Benefactors 


The City of Emporia

 

Lyon County

 

Bobby D's BBQ

 

Caribbean Sun Tanning

 

CoreFirst Bank & Trust

 

The Emporia Gazette

 

ESB Financial

 

Emporia's Radio

StationsKVOE, 104.9, Country 101.7

 

Longbine Auto Plaza

 

Roberts Blue Barnett Funeral Home

 

T2 Verizon Wireless

General Level Members 

AKA Marketing/The Sports Fan

 

Amanda's Bakery

 

Applebee's

 

Ash, LLC.

 

Atherton & Huth Attorney at Law

 

Barden & Thompson

 

Bath Expressions

 

Bennett Dental Group

 

Best Western Hospitality House

 

Black Heart Cherry

 

Brown's Shoe Fit Co.

 

C & J Woodworks

 

Cable One

 

Cable One Advertising

 

Capitol Federal

 

Cassell Insurance

 

Chester Press, Inc.

 

Clark Carpet & Tile

 

Coffelt Sign Co. 

 

Commercial Street Diner

 

Complete Works

 

Country Mart/Price Chopper

 

Dan's Hands

 

Dorsey & Wise Family Eye Care

 

Douglas Chiropractic Center

 

Dynamic Disks

 

Emporia Chamber of Commerce

 

Emporia State Federal Credit Union

 

ESU Memorial Union

 

E-Town Solutions

 

First Community Bank

 

Flint Hills Eye Care Associates

 

Flint Hills Lanes

 

Flint Hills Music

 

Flint Hills Tech College

 

Flint Hills Mall

 

Forget Me Not Productions

 

Four Seasons Apartments

 

Furniture Loft

 

Genesis Health Club

 

George Groh & Sons

 

Gerald Schumann Electric

 

Glendo

 

Granada Coffee Company

 

Granada Plaza & Lofts

 

Graves Drug Store

 

Hair Krafters

 

Helbert & Allemang Attorney's at Law

 

High Gear Cyclery

 

Hornet Residential

 

IM Design Group

 

Inno-Vest Corporation

 

Java Cat 5

 

Jimmy John's

 

Kansas Radio 96.1 The Wave

 

Kari's Diamonds by Design

 

KISS 103.1

 

Krueger & Williams Law Office

 

L & L Pets

 

Little Acorns

 

Little Caesers Pizza

 

Lyon County State Bank

 

Lyon County Title

 

Marion National Bank

 

Mark II Lumber

 

Mathis Physical Therapy

 

McDonald's on 6th Ave.

 

McKinzie Pest Control

 

Menu Foods Midwest Corp.

 

Midas Touch Golden Tans

 

Modern Air Conditioning

 

Muckenthaler, Inc.

 

Nature's Paradise

 

Navrat's Office Products

 

Pizza Ranch

 

Plum Bazaar

 

Poehler Mercantile

 

Pool & Wright

 

Prairie Sage Apartments

 

Prairie Land Partners

 

Pro Cuts

 

Pyramid Pizza

 

Redi Upholstry

 

Redline Trucking

 

Ru Yi

 

Sauder Custom Fabrication

 

Scheller's Lawn & Landscape

 

Simmons Pet Food

 

SS Graham Insurance Agency

 

Stanley Jewelry

 

Studio 11

 

Subway

 

Sunflower Gymnastics

 

Symmonds & Symmonds Attorney at Law

 

The Help Desk

 

The Henrikson Team

 

The Medicine Shoppe

 

The Sweet Granada

 

The Villiger

 

The White Rose Inn

 

Thompson Auto Repair

 

Toso Appraisal Service

 

Total Technology, LLC

 

Town Crier Bookstore

 

Town Royal

 

Wash House

 

Water's True Value

 

Westar Energy

 

Wheat State Pizza

 

Williams Automotive

  

Non-Profit Level Members 

 Big Brothers Big Sisters

 

Community Theatre of Emporia

 

Corner House

 

Emporia Arts Council

 

Emporia Farmer's Market

 

Emporia Granada Theatre Alliance

 

Emporia High School Future Business Leaders of America

 

Emporia Public Library

 

ESU Foundation

 

Small Business Development Center

 

First Presbyterian Church

 

Flint Hills Optimists Club

 

Jayhawk Area Council (Scouts)

 

Lyon County Historical Society

 

National Teachers Hall of Fame

 

Plumb Place

 

The United Way 

Home Based Level Members 

Boyzen Bunny Fiber Arts- Tracey Graham

 

Energy Innovators

 

Family Jewels-

Leticia Rust

 

Gold Canyon Candle- Stephanie Morgan

 

Green Door Recycling- Amy Becker

 

Independant Longaberger Consultant- Judith Dieker

 

Interdependent Web- Ben Stallings

 

Joe the Furniture Doctor- Joe Kurzen

 

Kynda Kreative- Amanda Mendoza

 

Mary Kay- Brenda Braynard

 

Pampered Chef- Chelsea Gerleman

 

Patti Cakes- Patti Lipson

 

Paula's Creations

Paula Roper

 

Premier Designs Jewelry- Nikki Simmons

 

RossTography

Mike Ross

 

Scentsy- Deann Rose

 

Scentsy- Kelly Long

 

Stampin-Up

Darcy Johnson

 

Tastefully Simple- Vanessa Apodaca 

 

 

Individual Supporters 

Anne Strobel

 

Brad Harzman

 

Dale and Carolyn Davis

 

Erin Woods

 

Fred and Patricia Gilligan

 

Julie Johnson

 

Kayla Oney

 

Mark & Amy McAnarney

 

Mary & Tim Helmer

 

Matt & Val Zimmerman

 

Pam & Fred Stephenson

 

Peggy Mast

 

Rob Gilligan

 

Sue Blechl

 

Tyler and Melanie Curtis

 

Victoria Partridge 

Emporia Main Street E- Newsletter

Greetings!
 
A busy week full of committee meetings, a Kansas Main Street Quarterly Training and a great event put on by Sunflower Gymnastics (great job, and thank you for bringing such a wonderful event to Emporia!).  We learned a lot this week, and our educational efforts will result in more local economic development for you!
Special Notification:
 
The Kress Center- 702 Commercial, has their 3000 sq. ft. lower level available for a health/fitness related business.  Rent is just $500 per month, plus utilities with a lease.  For more information, please contact Sophie Mallon at: 620-344-2250, 620-344-2249 or 620-342-6622.

Start Your Own Business Logo

The Start Your Own Business Class is a joint effort between Flint Hills Technical College, the Small Business Development Center at Emporia State University and Emporia Main Street.  Classes run from February 14th through March 15th. For more information on the class CLICK HERE! 

 

Wash House Laundry Ad

Asset Based Economic Development

Quarterly Training

 If you want more jobs, more choices and a better community, this is the way forward...

 

When people hear the term "Economic Development" their eyes start to glaze over.  We get that.  But, those same people want jobs, shopping options, restaurant choices, entertainment venues and a unique community that they can be proud of.  That sort of economic development takes an economic development strategy.  The Main Street four point approach (Design, Business Enhancement, Promotion and Organization) is an economic development strategy that falls in the category of "asset based".  It is important for citizens to understand asset based economic development because: 1.  It is more effective than alternatives, 2. It is working in Emporia, and 3.  Failure to understand asset based economic development can actually hurt a local economy.

 

Every community has a unique set of assets that can result in economic growth.  These assets help differentiate one community from other competitors within a region.  Unfortunately, many communities seek to achieve a homogeneous mixture of commercial entities based on what surrounding communities "have", thus preventing them from standing out as a destination.  By identifying and leveraging community assets, we can achieve real and sustainable economic growth.  Assets are divided into categories:

 

Heritage Assets include two basic forms: Built History and Cultural History

 

Built history includes buildings and spaces that are unique and create an emotional attachment.  The Granada Theatre means somethingBuilding Components Terminology beyond the brick and stucco used to construct it for those that watched a film within its walls.  A dormitory on the Emporia State University Campus means something to the individuals that spent part of their college years there.  Even buildings that changed uses over the years can bring back nostalgic feelings and act as a catalyst for economic improvements.  How different would our community be if the Granada Theatre were never restored?

 

Cultural History includes the unique food, art, music, unique activities and historical events from an area.  William Allen White's editorial history, the activities associated with the Flint Hills, College History, our ethnic diversity, our association with Veterans and much more make up our culture.  Tying these cultural assets to business opportunities can result in a more effective climate for business growth.

 

Human assets can give a community an edge in developing a thriving community.  From an economic development standpoint, human assets are categorized in two sets: entrepreneurs and an engaged public.  

 

Entrepreneurs are obviously a major part of community development.  Midnight Madness Studio 11However, many people don't realize that the environment an entrepreneur exists in can have a major impact on their success and the creation of additional entrepreneurs.  Communities that successfully incubate entrepreneurs often have them in very close proximity in areas that promote easy interaction.  It sometimes seems counterintuitive to bunch up businesses, but creating entrepreneurial clusters creates cross shopping opportunities, while the entrepreneurial energy supplied creates a new wave of entrepreneurs.  In addition, an existing entrepreneurial business can lead to more business recruitment by properly identifying the businesses/individuals that supply the entrepreneur as well as the businesses/individuals that are the end users of the entrepreneurial enterprise.  These associations represent opportunities to expand the local marketplace.

 

An engaged public creates the atmosphere for development and business growth through positive perceptions of realistic community development.  Furthermore, an engaged public that understands development assets (like Main Street) can act as "lead generators" either making development officials aware of potential development opportunities or advocating for development with individual entrepreneurial contacts.

 

From a physical development process, organizations and individuals need to understand that development is a long and detailed process.  Simply making contact with a national organization does not equalFlint Hills Music Network Kansas recruitment.  Within development, individuals and organizations must engage in physical property development and management, marketing of properties, leasing activities and they must provide financial and human resource management services to aid in business start up and expansions.  Failure to recognize any of these development activities will result in a failed development.  In addition, we can't see developments as individual activities.  For developments to create sustained success for the developed business and neighbors, they should exist in a cluster or node of businesses that can share customers or targeted demographics.

 

We can generate development by leveraging our assets in an asset based economic development strategy.  The Granada Theatre used built history leverage to recruit two store fronts, and the built history was further leveraged with area infill development.  Our Flint Hills cultural history leveraged gravel road biking into an expanded High Gear Cyclery.  We can see entrepreneurial leverage in "serial" entrepreneurs like Kristi Mohn that surrounds her partnership in ERG with other entrepreneurs that bought into her "node" concept.  Every day we leverage an engaged public to supply leads and act as community liaisons to potential entrepreneurs and expanding businesses.

 

Of course, all of these business concepts must be supported by targeted market research.  Without research, we can make badFuture Black and Gold Zone community decisions that overestimate the market.  We must research market gaps, traffic patterns and community shopping habits.  Individuals seeking development must use information to help build credibility with the existing business and potential entrepreneurial pools while earning the trust of the public.  We must recognize that opening or expanding a business is a scary proposition, so we must inspire action to redevelop a community while we coordinate our effort to ensure maximum business viability.

 

What does this mean for the four points?  In Design, we encourage certain aesthetics because it can make a business/property owner more money.  Design also focuses on saving our built history so we can leverage it as an asset in future developments.  

 

Promotion develops a brand specific to certain areas and seeks to engage area residents in our cultural history through events and interaction.

 

Business Enhancement fosters entrepreneurial and business growth by leveraging our heritage assets and conducting/disseminating market research while acquiring the resources necessary to help our businesses and developers succeed.

 

Organization team members understand that going after the right "people" is critical in developing a successful community.  They are responsible for finding and developing citizens that can succeed in our local economy while assisting in asset based economic development.  

  Kansas Main Street Logo

 

Without asset based planning, economic development entities simply throw out lines and hope, or they wait for a third party to provide lead and compete among several entities...  This ineffective method of development usually results in wasted resources and development that resembles large bursts spaced far apart.  This lack of incremental growth has a destabilizing effect on local economies and can result in an economic mix dominated by a few large entities that can decimate a local economy upon closing.  In contrast, an asset based economic development strategy supports incremental growth in a sustainable fashion that recognizes the realities and opportunities in the local economy.  By building on our local assets, we create a sustainable growth model for Emporia that benefits all citizens and areas of the community.  No other economic development strategy can claim that effect.

 

Information for this article was provided by Todd Barman of the National Main Street Center.  Todd is a national expert in asset based economic development strategies, and he recently lead a session on asset based economic development at the Kansas Main Street Quarterly Training on January 12th in El Dorado, Kansas.

Did you know?  Answers to YOUR questions... 

 

Last week we met with a few aspiring entrepreneurs, finished Public Service Announcements for the Start Your Own Busines
Community Initiated Building Development
We had the opportunity to visit a development during quarterly training in El Dorado that utilized city resources, tax credits and flexible code officials to stimulate growth.
s class, attended a two day quarterly training in El Dorado, toured some economic development projects that were applicable to the Emporia area, coordinated activities with a potential development investment firm, met with a national trust official on adaptations to services provided to enhance benefits to local members and we worked with a couple of members to help research a complex valuation issue and get them connected with the appropriate resources.  It was a busy week...  But, all the communication created some good questions!


 

 

 

1.  "How was last quarter?"  From another Main Street Director at Quarterly Training.   Main Street directors pick each other's brains at each Kansas Main Street Quarterly traing.  I don't care how many training sessions I've been to, I always learn something new from the presenters and my fellow Directors.  The "how are things" question always pops up, and Main Street directors are unique in the fact that they rely on the quantifiable to answer this question.  Last quarter, we had $1,226,263.00 in reinvestment downtown.  That puts us well over $58,000,000 for the history of Emporia Main Street.  We'll have the more detailed stats next e-mail, but all of you should be very proud of your contributions to a growing core economy. 

 

 

 

 

Taste Logo
Is April 21st! 

 

2.  "What can we do about the pigeons downtown?"  From a few calls to the officeMcKenzie Pest Control are the experts in this area, and they are working on a solution.  We will happily aid in the solution once we have a plan in place because the pigeons on certain buildings aren't just unsightly, they can also cause damage to buildings.  We hear your concerns, and we are working with a quality local business to help rectify the issue. 

 

 

 

The Glass Blown Open Disc Golf Tournament
April 13-15 is the Glass Blown Open disc golf tournament by Dynamic Discs.

 

 

 

3.  "How much trash was picked up downtown over the last 15 months?" From a city official. We engaged in 32 different clean up activities with 350 man hours spent and 68 trash bags of debris removed.  The vast majority of the work was done by our wonderful Adopt a Garden volunteers, but we also held clean ups prior to and post major events.  This year we even focused on cleaning out stair wells that seem to collect leaves from a four county radius with the help of Lyon County Corrections.  Lindsay Bains would be proud... 

 

 

 

 

Dirty Kanza Logo
June 2 is the Dirty Kanza!

 

4.  "Should I take the Start Your Own Business Class?" From a potential business owner we are working with. YES!!!  The Start Your Own Business Class is a great way to prepare for opening a new business, investing in a business or expanding your current business.  For those of you looking to improve the local economy, one easy thing you can do is encourage the potential entrepreneurs in your life to take the class.  Maybe you have a friend or family member that would make a great entrepreneur.  Maybe you have an employee that could help more if they understood your business from an entrepreneurs perspective.  Whatever the case may be, take the opportunity to check out the SYOB Class, click HERE for the link, and forward the link to those you know would benefit...

 

 

 

 

Great American Market Car Show
May 19 is the Flatland Cruisers Car Show.

 

5. "How do our members use our website?" From a board member. Good question!  But, in this particular instance I need you to provide the answer.  Please go to www.emporiamainstreet.com and check out the existing web site.  Then, please e-mail us at [email protected] with your thoughts and ideas.  We want the web site to function as an effective tool and information resource for all of you, and the first step in that process is obtaining your unfettered feedback.  We have some ideas, but on this exceptionally cold day we really want to hear yours!  

  

 

 

 

 

Small Historic Distric Concept
Property owners within the boudaries of the proposed historic district should get a notification in the mail soon concerning the proposed historic district.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The volunteers, members and staff of Emporia Main Street are working extremely hard to improve our business climate and build a successful community.  In short, we are working hard FOR YOU!  We appreciate your support, and we will continue to aggressively pursue opportunities to benefit our membership in the future.  Because, as we all know: small steps lead to BIG impacts!

 

Have a question?  Submit it to the Emporia Main Street office and we'll do our best to help you!
1st Kansas FinancialCasey Woods
Emporia Main Street
12 E. 5th Avenue
Emporia, KS  66801
(P) 620-340-6430 
(F) 620-340-6434
Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.- Joel A.Barker