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Saturday, we had several volunteers help paint a bulkhead of a building, remove window coverings, paint lamp posts, pick up trash and much more! Thanks to all the volunteers that spent a good portion of their Saturday volunteering. In a recent iteration of the book "What's the Matter With Kansas", Emporia was mentioned in a negative light for having "boarded up windows. Due to the efforts of local volunteers, that problem is being solved one building at a time. Do you have a building that would make a good design project? Contact Emporia Main Street! |
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Emporia Main Street
E-Newsletter |
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The Taste is THIS SATURDAY!!! Do you have your tickets yet? For those of you 21 and over, the Taste is a fun event that includes local food, live music and the best in Kansas Wineries, Breweries and Distilleries. Click the following link and get your tickets NOW: http://www.emporiamainstreet.com/event/the-taste-of-emporia/ |
Click HERE for the Dinner and Taste Ticket
Click HERE for the general Taste Ticket |
The Taste is THIS SATURDAY from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the Civic Auditorium. This classic event features Kansas wineries, breweries and distilleries, local restaurants, live music and a lot of fun! We also have a Taste AND Dinner option. Dinner starts at 5:00 p.m., and dinner attendees gain early access to The Taste. We sold out of tickets the last three years, so remember: don't delay get your tickets today! Click the links above to reserve your dinner ticket or your general ticket (we will hold on-line tickets at the door). Don't wait! Get your tickets TODAY!!!
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Do you enjoy taking photographs? Why not enter our photo contest celebrating National Historic Preservation Month in May? We want to see your talent and you may win Emporia Main Street gift certificates!
CLICK HERE for Contest Details
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Main Street Merchandise
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You can order the items listed below at a variety of local merchants, at the Emporia Main Street office or on-line at www.emporiamainstreet.com
Emporia-Opoly, the local version of the classic Monopoly board game, features local businesses, historic sites and special Emporia tokens. This is the perfect gift for current or past Emporians. Because there is a limited quantity, we suggest you get yours soon..
Emporia Main Street Gift Certificates are always the perfect size! Give the gift of shopping local this year with the gift of Emporia Main Street gift certificates, good at our member merchants throughout Emporia.
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Learn more about local amenities, organizations, businesses, events and more with the E-Town Mobile App! The ETown App is a joint project among Emporia State University, Flint Hills Technical College, USD 253, The Emporia Gazette, the City of Emporia, the Emporia Convention and Visitors Bureau and Emporia Main Street.
For IPhone Users, click here:
For Android Users, click here:
For the NEW iPad Version, click here:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/e-town-app-emporia-kansas/id712001984?mt=8
New additions AND a Web version COMING SOON!
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SYOB Graduates-We need your feedback! Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey & share your class experience!
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/XS3CT33
Flint Hills Technical College is currently developing its 2015-2020 Strategic Plan. Feedback from our constituents is crucial to the success of this process, so we would greatly appreciate you taking the time to fill out this short survey. Please feel free to share this link with other members of the community, and please submit your answers no later than May 1, 2014.
Click here to take the survey:
http://fhtcstratplan.polldaddy.com/s/fhtc-strategic-planning-survey
Disc Golf : Skills and Techniques
Instructor: Don Carter
Cost: $35;Dynamic Discs putter and mid-range discs included!
Schedule: Friday, April 11, 5:30-8:30pm
Dynamic Discs and PDGA Professional Golfer, Don Carter, have teamed up for this fun, hands-on class that will have you sinking putts and playing like a pro in no time! During this one night workshop, PDGA Professional Disc Golfer Don Carter will share some of the essential tips and techniques to play and master the game of disc golf. Disc Golf has grown in popularity, and Emporia has played host to some of the largest national tournaments. If you wonder what all the hype is about, join us for this class! Great for beginners or players looking to refine some of their skills. Students will learn about additional playing opportunities and local leagues to continue playing. No experience required, and your first discs are included!
Pie Baking 101 by Farmgirl Fresh
Instructors: Mary and Megan Allen
Cost: $15
Schedule: Saturday, April 12, 1:00-3:00pm
Everything you need to know to successfully turn out beautiful and tasty pies, including two different pie crust recipes and tips on getting that perfect mile-high meringue. In this class each participant will create their own fresh apple pie to take home and bake. Learn the secrets of this timeless art form with the Farmgirl Fresh mother-daughter team who bakes year round at home and for the Council Grove Farmer's Market season.
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Enroll today! Visit http://flinthills.augusoft.net or call 620-341-1392.
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Property Availability Guide
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For property owners with property available for rent or sale, this is a free service to collect information and post it on the Emporia Main Street Web Site. With other market information available, we hope this site makes it easier for potential businesses and property developers to find spaces they need.
CLICK HERE to enter information about your available property and view previously submitted information.
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Business Investment Guide |
Do you know a business that should locate in Emporia? Maybe you know an entrpreneur looking for resources or a business owner looking to expand? The Business Investment Guide is community information designed to help you point your contacts in the right direction!
CLICK HERE for the INVESTMENT GUIDE |
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What is your building hiding?
Out of sight should be on your mind in your building this (and every) year.
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Spring is here and people are strolling through the community. As creatures of habit, it is common for business people to become accustomed to their surroundings. So, although customers notice aesthetic differences, the same elements may go completely unnoticed by building owners or employees of a business. It doesn't really matter if the building was built 100 years ago or just ten years ago, buildings need maintenance and upkeep. Even if you rent a facility, what you don't see can hurt your business. So, in the spirit of Spring Cleaning, we encourage you to do a walk through (or hire someone to do a walk through) and check out a few building elements while the weather is reasonable.
1. Are the portions of your building that are supposed to be painted actually painted?- Pealing or chipped paint can make a building look really bad very quickly. A quick scrape and reapplication of paint can do wonders for your look.
 2. What does your roof look like?- Spring showers can bring serious problems if your roof is in a state of disrepair. When was the last time you had yours looked at?
3. Are your mechanical systems (Heating, ventilation, air conditioning) in good repair?- You don't want to find out that you need to replace your AC unit in August. Working with local HVAC providers, you can have a simple inspection done to determine your options before you lose your cool.
4. Does your commercial building look like a commercial building is supposed to look?- I know that sounds like a simple question, but there are standard elements to commercial buildings. For years, people augmented elements to fit in with fads (shake shingle awnings or metal facades) or to become more "energy efficient" (covered windows or bricked in store fronts). The fact is that if your building looks weird to a consumer, they are probably less likely to visit your business. If your building does meet its original intended aesthetics, you may pick up more foot traffic.
5. Have you been in all of your building spaces lately?- Closed off upper stories, basements or storage areas can become breeding grounds for hazards if they aren't regularly checked. When is the last time you walked through your whole facility?
6. Check your building entrances.- Your entrance is your first impression. What impression does yours make? We have plans to make some "fixes" to ours, because we recognize they are needed.
7. What do your windows look like?- Are they dirty, cluttered or covered? As people start to get out and enjoy the sun, the last thing we want to do is pull them into a dark and dank environment.
8. What is your building envelope like?- When is the last time you walked around your building from top to bottom and made some notes about what you saw? Have you asked your customers (or people who aren't your customers) what their impressions of your business are based on its appearance alone?
9. What do your surroundings look like?- Your sidewalks, your neighbor's store front, flower gardens, benches, planters, lamp posts and more create a visual environment for your customers. What message is your environment sending? What can you do to improve your environment?
10. What changes will you make, when will you make them and how will you budget for those changes?- Spotting problems doesn't do you much good if you don't have a plan to remedy the problem. Give yourself a deadline to make improvements. Reach out to other community experts to develop solutions to your building problems. One of the wonderful things about being in a small town is that you have people willing and able to help make things better. Take advantage of the resources around you.
On a yearly basis, Emporia Main Street works on a few community projects to help create a better  looking and more functional Emporia. We understand that people are busy and that budgets get tight, but a lot of the changes made can be fixed with some basic elbow grease and minimal expenditures. Those that can't be made with minimal expenditures often NEED to be made. It doesn't matter if you are in a 100 year old building with bad HVAC (customers like to stay cool in the summer) or a mall type environment with a bad roof (indoor waterfalls are not feng shui), your building can have an impact on your bottom line.
Get involved with your building environment and determine what changes YOU can make to improve your situation. If you need assistance, please contact Emporia Main Street. We may have financial programs, volunteers or contacts with local businesses that can help.
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Did you know???
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Last week we met with a couple of potential new businesses, discovered a new financing option for women and minority businesses starting or expanding, worked
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The Russell Family was out in force last Saturday helping with downtown cleanup activities!
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with a rapidly expanding local business to help identify some new intellectual resources, met with an individual trying to restart a Live in the Lot concert series, held a board meeting, met with the City Commission concerning upcoming events, met with an ESU Public Relations class, provided some social media assistance to a new local business, met with a local property owner concerning her future plans, worked with a local financial institution to create a financing package structure for a potential new business, and conducted a downtown work day that included building painting, removing window coverings, painting dilapidated lamp posts and picking up trash downtown. The weeks will only get busier from here on out, but that's a good thing because it leads to some
good questions from all of you
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1. "What is your biggest challenge in reaching college and high school students in Emporia?"- From an ESU Public Relations Class. We have two big issues: finding a conduit where we can consistently reach Emporia youth, and providing market context that helps them understand how we can realistically move forward. Communication with a generation that grew up with media sources dedicated to creating groups of "friends" (and keeping others out) means consistent communication is difficult. When we talk to those under 25 about what they want, often times we either have it, or a variation of what they want locally. However, consistently communicating our inventory of events and businesses has proven problematic either because media types that are actually used create sporadic outreach, or we have individuals that simply aren't interested in learning what the community has to offer from a source outside of their group of friends. So, we continue to work with both high school and college peer groups to determine ways we can be more effective in our outreach plans. The context issue is more problematic. When we are consistently compared to communities several times our size, amenity for amenity and business for business, we lose those arguments. It's simply about buying power: much larger communities have more customers and more spending power. So, we either have to provide context or accept the fact that if people think our mall needs to look like Oak Park, our concert venues need to look like the Sprint Center and our downtown needs to look like the Plaza, then they might be happy in Kansas City, but we will waste a lot of time and energy trying to please people that aren't going to be pleased. However, when we see those engaged youth, it makes it more imperative that we create a dialogue so that we can appeal to those that do engage in consistent communication and realize the worth of our unique community.
2. "Why didn't you uncover all the windows?" From a local volunteer. .When we start uncovering windows, we typically look at the inside of the window (when possible) before we proceed with the uncovering. We can't see the outside because, obviously, it is covered. One of the many reasons we don't like artificial coverings (boarded windows, metal facades, etc.) is that those coverings have a tendency to simply hide problems until they become obviously and irreversibly evident. In the case of windows, coverings have a tendency to create weak points at the corners, which over time funnel water into wooden frames. Pressurized water, over time, creates rot. So, your window covering is sometimes attached to a rotting frame. In Kansas wind, this creates a potentially dangerous situation where a cover and window could come loose. In the case of metal facades, the same basic principle applies, but it can impact the masonry on the building. Bricks must be drilled into to attach a metal facade. Water can then enter masonry, weakening a wall. Over time, the weight of the metal facade plus trapped water can cause major issues. In either case, you can't discover those issues until you take the covering off. Once the problem is diagnosed, then you can actually fix the problem.
3. "Do you have any Taste Tickets left?" From a call to the office. Yes. Not many, but we do have some tickets available for both the Dinner & Taste combination, and just the general Taste. Click HERE for tickets.
4. "What is the future of ESU in relation to downtown?" From a local property owner. This week I was able to attend the ESU Master Plan presentation. During the presentation, it was clear that people started to recognize that Merchant Street was KS 99, and the state highway designation made western development impractical because the highway isn't moving. It was also clearly stated that ESU should plan to emphasize its capacity as an area economic engine, including partnering with the community to create redevelopment opportunities. As ESU grows, the community has the capacity to grow. As we build adjacent to our important anchor institution, we can facilitate further growth. It seems that the master plan recognized that the community and ESU are inexorably linked, and recognition of that fact is good for both ESU and the community. Remember that a Master Plan is a "30,000 foot view" of a situation, meaning many specifics are left for actual implementation. But, we see some promise in certain elements of the plan as presented.
5. Not a question, but a necessary remembrance.
This Sunday morning, I woke up to the news that Steve Corbin had passed away. For those of you that don't know, Steve and Linda Corbin owned the Town Royal, a local tavern in downtown Emporia. For the past  few decades, Steve has been a fixture in Emporia. Many "meetings" were held in TR to talk about issues of the day, fundraisers for the community and things that needed to be done to help Emporia. Steve was a fixture on-line, and contacted local media on more than one occasion. But, the thing that made Steve different was that he always seemed to reach out through a perspective of caring about the community more than himself.
When I became Main Street Director, Steve was one of the first business owners I had a very in depth conversation with about what I needed to do to improve the community. Steve was a staunch advocate for the Adopt-A-Garden project, he met with several potential small businesses and he always gave me his honest assessment of every situation (whether we agreed or not). Most of the time, when people reach out to me personally, it's because they want something. Specifically, they want me to do something (financial or political) for them. Steve just wanted to help and share a perspective. Even when we disagreed, I always felt like we parted friends. Everyone needs a few honest mentors in their life, and Steve was one I counted on. From a business perspective, Steve and Linda Corbin have always epitomized several of the virtues we extol in small businesses. Steve was always one of the first to give to a cause. Town Royal was always well kept, inside and out (even with some eclectic decorations). Service was always important, and community was always on Steve's mind. Although famously outspoken, you always knew where you stood with Steve, and that's a trait that is uncommonly rare these days. This rambling prose does have a purpose. Whenever we lose someone that meant so much to our community in so many quiet ways, it is incumbent upon the rest of us to pick up the slack. The final test of any leader is that he leaves behind him in others the will to carry on. As Steve looks down on us in Emporia, holding a martini with way too many olives in one hand, I hope he's proud of us as we continue to work towards an improved Emporia.
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President's Circle
Emporia Realty Group
www.emporiarealtygroup.com
608 Commercial
620-412-9850
IM Design Group
www.imdesigngroup.com
17 W. 5th
620-343-3909
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541 Sherman
www.kiss103.1.net
620-343-6144
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Emporia Main Street Calendar of Events
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April 9
Promotions Meeting
8:00 a.m. in the Emporia Main Street office
Design Meeting
noon in the Emporia Main Street office.
April 12th
The Taste
Dinner at 5:00 p.m., and the General Taste runs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Civic Auditorium
April 16
Emporia Main Street Board of Directors Meeting
8:00 a.m. in the Emporia Main Street office.
April 16
Flint Hills Frontiers Regional Economic and Community Development Meeting
6:00 p.m. at Mary Herbert School
April 23
Business Enhancement Meeting
8:00 a.m. in the Emporia Main Street office.
Home Based Business Meeting
Noon in the Emporia Main Street office.
May 2-4
The Glass Blown Open. This Dynamic Discs tournament will take place throughout the Emporia area.
May 10th
The Flatland Cruisers Car Show
May 18-20
National Main Street Conference in Detroit Michigan.
May 31
The Dirty Kanza
riders leave at 6:00 a.m. from the 800 Block of Commercial Street.
June 21
Business Stroll
August 23
Trilogy Disc Golf Open
September 13
The Great American Market
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!
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General Level Members
AKA Marketing
Amish Woodworks
Applebees
Ash LLC
Atherton & Huth
Bank of America
Bath Expressions
Ben Moore Studio
Bennett Dental Group
BG Consultants
BLI Rentals
Bluestem Farm and Ranch
Brown's Shoe Fit
Bruff's Bar and Grill
C & J Woodworks
Candlewood Suites
Capitol Federal
Cassell Insurance
Chester Press
Clark Carpet and Tile, Inc.
Coffelt Sign Co.
Complete Works
Country Mart/Price Chopper
Dan's Hands Massage
Davis Paints
Disciple Shoppe
Dorsey Eye Care
Douglas Chiropractic
Dr. Kerri Thompson, DDS
Dynamic Discs
Eastwood Lake Apartments
Ek Real Estate
Emporia Construction and Remodeling
Emporia Radio Stations: KVOE, 104.9 & 101.7
Emporia State Federal Credit Union
E-Town Solutions
ESU Memorial Union
Evergreen Design-Build
Flint Hills Eye Care
Flint Hills Mall
Association
Flint Hills Music
Floyd's Automotive
Forget Me Not Productions
Four Seasons Apartments
George Groh and Sons
Gerald Schumann Electric
Granada Coffee Company
Graves Drug Store
Haag Management
Hair Krafters
Heart Center Studio
Helbert & Allemang
High Gear
Java Cat Coffeehouse
Junque Drawer Emporium
Kansas Radio 96.1 The Wave
King Liquor
L & L Pets
Lyon County State Bank
Lyon County Title
Mark II Lumber
McDonalds
McKinzie Pest Control
Midas Touch Tans
Mike Alpers Agency
Mr. Sisters Sweets
Modern Air Conditioning, Inc.
Mulready's Pub
Navrats Office Supply
Papa John's Pizza
Pizza Hut
Pizza Ranch
Plum Bazaar
Poehler Mercantile
Pool and Associates
Prairie Sage Apartments
Pro-Cuts
Rand Simmons Law Office
Redline Trucking
Reflxns Salon
Rhinestone Cowgirl Salon
Sauder Custom Fabrication
Schellers Lawn and Landscape
Scott's Lawn and Landscaping
Second Love Gifts
Stanley Jewelry
Studio 11
Subway
Sunflower Gymnastics
Sutherlands Lumber Co.
Sweet Granada
Textbook Corner
Thompson Auto Repair
Toso Appraisal
Total Technology
Town Crier Bookstore
Triad Leasing
Uncommon Threads
Value-Net LLC
Waters True Value Hardware
Westar Energy
Williams Automotive
Wright CPA Group PA
Wright's Furniture
Xan-A-Do Salon
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Non Profit Level Members
Big Brothers Big Sisters
Cradle to Career Cneter
Emporia Eastside Community Group
EHS- FBLA
Emporia Arts Council
Emporia Chamber of Commerce
Emporia Farmers Market
Emporia Friends of the Zoo
Emporia Presbyterian Church
Emporia Friends of the Library
ESU- Alumni Association
ESU- Small Business Development Center
ESU- Memorial Union
ESU- Theatre Dept.
Flint Hills Community Health Center
Granada Theatre Alliance
National Teachers Hall of Fame
Saint Francis Community Services
Salvation Army
SOS
TFI Family Services
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Home Based Business Members
Avon- Amanda Hopkins
Gold Canyon Candles- Stephanie Morgan
Green Door Recycling
Interdependent Web, LLC
Longaberger Independent Consultant -Judy Dieker
Mary Kay- Lori Engle
Nicole Bradshaw Designs
Origami Owl- Angela Dowell
Paula's Creations
Pampered Chef- Chelsea Gerleman
Purse Lady- Nancy Crawford
Scentsy/ Grace Adele- Kelly Long
Tastefully Simple- Vanessa Apodaca
Thirty One Gifts- Linsey Hopkins
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Individual Supporters
Amy and Rick Becker
Amy Evans
Brad Harzman
Dale & Carolyn Davis
Don Hill
Erin and Casey Woods
Joyce Zhou
Julie Johnson
Kayle Oney
Kelly Wade
Lynn Knechtel
Mark and Amy McAnarney
Michael and Karen Shonrock
Valerie and Matt Zimmerman
Roger Heineken
Smitty Smith
Sue Blechl
Tim & Mary Helmer
Tyler & Melanie Curtis
Yvonne Pool
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Casey Woods
Emporia Main Street
12 E. 5th Avenue
Emporia, KS 66801
(P) 620-340-6430
(F) 620-340-6434 |
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Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.
-Joel A. Barker |
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