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Emporia Main Street
E-Newsletter
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Greetings!
One major event down in the month of May and two more to go! Only the boring are bored in Emporia!!! Check out more upcoming events and activities below: |
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Have you ever wondered about the history of downtown Emporia? This walking tour, which starts at the Emporia Main Street office (12 E. 5th Ave) on Thursday May 7th, at 6:30 p.m., will give participants a historic perspective on the buildings of downtown Emporia, from the train tracks to 9th Ave. This is a FREE event, and all are welcome!
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For more information on the Tallgrass Writing Workshop, CLICK HERE.
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Salve, Lip Balm and Lotion making with Farmgirl Fresh
Come learn how to formulate skin-healthy salves, lip balms, and lotions to suit your own personal needs. You will receive a base recipe for each one, a list of herbal remedies and their properties, and a tin of salve or lotion to take home. If you are nervous or unsure about making your own home remedies, then this class is for you. The Farmgirl Fresh mother-daughter team will show you that making your own salves, lip balms, and lotions is fun, easy, inexpensive, and it works. Hope to see you there!
Instructors: Mary & Megan Allen
Cost: $25
Schedule: Saturday, May 9,1:00-3:00pm.
T-Shirt Scarves
Do you have a favorite T-Shirt that doesn't fit, but you can't stand to get rid of? Do you have a stack of T-Shirts that you never wear? Put them to good use by making your own T-Shirt Scarf! For a warmer and snugglier variation, you can even use a sweatshirt. No sewing, crochet, or knitting skills are required. Bring with you two (three) (four) T-Shirts (the larger the better, but small ones work too), sharp scissors (if you have them - if not, don't sweat it), and a ready-to-have-fun attitude and leave with 2-3 scarves completed! Register by May 8th.
Cost: $13
Instructor: Tracey Graham
Schedule: Thursday, May 14th, 6:30-8:00pm
Edible Ecosystems
How would you like a garden that takes care of itself, the soil, and wildlife as well as feeding you? This exciting prospect is the goal of permaculture design, in which we apply the principles of ecology to human habitats. This 6-hour introductory course focuses on both the home garden and small farm scale for maximizing food production with a minimum of inputs in uncertain weather conditions. You will leave with a solid understanding of how to read a landscape and decide what to put where for the best synergistic effect.
Ben Stallings is a certified permaculture designer and has taught introductory courses in four states plus DC. He often sells produce from his urban farm at the Emporia Farmers Market.
Instructor: Ben Stallings
Cost: $5 Sponsored by Emil Babinger Trust
Schedule: Tuesday-Thursday, May 12, 14, 19, 6-8pm
To enroll please visit https://flinthills.augusoft.net/ or call 620-341-1392.
Amy Becker
Director of Sustainability & Community Education
Flint Hills Technical College
620-341-1392
[email protected]
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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 iPad Version, Click Here!
For the Web Version, click here:
www.etownapp.com
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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
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Do you know a business that should locate in Emporia? Maybe you know an entrepreneur 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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New Tech Tools
Some simple technology can improve your customer communications, recruit help and dress up your data!
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One of my favorite parts about the National Main Street conference is learning about all the new tools that other programs are using to increase the impacts of their programs and efficiency of their work plans. Main Street's nationwide are typically small staffs with "efficient" budgets that are working across the four point approach. Whereas one organization might just do economic development, tourism, community development, design work, capacity building or development- Main Street programs are encourage to hybridize activities to include elements of disparate approaches into one cohesive strategy. Internally, directors refer to the job as a "Swiss Army Knife" approach.
Multifaceted approaches are very difficult and time consuming, so whenever we run into some tech that makes our lives easier or creates a bigger impact for our organization, we typically employ the tech pretty quickly. But, we want to ensure that our members have the same knowledge base to work from as they make their work environments more effective or efficient. Below are just some of the tech tools that we found that you might see popping up in a Main Street setting fairly soon. See if anything listed can help you out:
1. Form Stack- I know a lot of people freaked out when Adobe announced that Adobe Forms were going away. Fillable form systems on web sites make on-line interactions much easier and they cut down on staff time spent in a variety of scenarios. A well functioning form system can help you interact with potential clients anytime day or night via your website.
2. Volunteer Spot- This online volunteer system allows you to create slots for volunteers in a system that individual volunteers can control via a mobile app. Create time slots for work, click on waivers and  log volunteer hours through an on-line check in process. Again, this is a staff time saver and it helps accompany pleas for volunteers with an easy call to action.
3. Reg Online- Many businesses and non-profits supplement income with special events, but the registration process can be time consuming and laborious. A quality on-line event registration software can expand your reach and make planning and execution of special events a little easier. Some advantages of this registration system, which comes with customization logos and themes are the ability to (1) make cerain elements of the registration process required, (2) pass the costs associated with the software on to the end user (which helps maintain profit margins), (3) allow for credit card use, (4) include cancellation fees for those that drop out of an event, and (5) take advantage of training webinars..
4. We Transfer Plus- We use dropbox at Emporia Main Street, but a lot of people we interact with have trouble with long term data storage off site, and the transfer of large files. For those that want a more user friendly version of dropbox, We Transfer Plus offers a simplified format for long term data storage of large files that need access from multiple individuals. High quality graphics, reports, catalogs or data files can be easily stored and shared through this mechanism.
5. ISSUU- Restaurant menus, catalogs, articles, pamphlets generally look really good sitting  in front of you, but their on-line facsimiles can look awful. If only there were a way to store the original document in a format that people could virtually "flip through"... ISSUU allows users the ability to virtually flip through documents that include automatic embedded links and menus for the inclusion of multiple options.
6. Piktochart- Infographics are one of the newest, most popular and most effective ways to convey complex concepts to your customers in easy fun formats. Line charts, bar graphs or endless tables of data can get boring pretty quickly for the average reader, and you definitely can't include them in most types of advertising. But, you can still impart important information simply by creating attractive infographics. Thanks to programs like Piktochart, creating an infographic is easier than ever.
The correct software employed in a strategic fashion can make your business activities easier on you and more effective. Take some time and click through some of the different software options. Think about ways you can utilize some of these tools in your everyday operations. Talk through some of your ideas with staff, peers or Main Street. Use what is at your disposal to create a more effective work environment!
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Did you know???
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Last week we had a follow up meeting on the ESU Entrepreneurial Challenge, created some new membership materials, held a media conference call to promote the Dirty
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Sole Mates is a new shoe store in the Art and Soul District of Downtown Emporia, located in one of the store fronts in the Granada Theatre. They were also a recipient of an IWW Loan to help get their business started!
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Kanza, met with a consulting group on an upcoming community project, attended a Dirty Kanza planning meeting, delivered the keynote address at the Kansas Historic Theaters Association meeting, attended a Theater Guild meeting, met with FHTC and County officials concerning a regional project, attended a meeting with the ESU School of Business about some directional issues, pitched some concepts at an Informational Systems Advisory Meeting, planned and provided "tickets" for a Glass Blown Open bar crawl, did a lot of planning/set up/implementation work for the Cinco de Mayo and Glass Blown Open Block Party celebration and took care of a variety of issues that popped up during the week for the very large event. Whew... May is definitely here. But, with all the crazy activity we received some
good questions from all of you
1. "Are you always going to be against big box retail?"- From a local resident. The question asked had some assumptions attached, so let me give some background. In 1998 I was fresh out of college and was splitting time working for my father's cattle ranch and my mother's retail shop. At the time, the retail shop was located across the street from the Lyon County Fair Grounds on Industrial Road. As a younger guy with a lot of "ideas" and too much energy, I looked at that area as a prime spot for a big box development. Specifically, I wanted a Target. In my mind, it made sense: I knew a lot of people that said they wanted a Target, I thought it would bring more traffic to my mother's store and the city had basically swallowed the fairgrounds. Now, where I differ from some people is that once I have an idea, I try and research the idea to gain information to support or deny my hypothesis. What I quickly found was that we weren't nearly large enough to support a Target, our median household incomes weren't high enough, the contractual nature of a land sale at the fair grounds would make it virtually impossible (and really expensive for the taxpayers) to develop there and Target wasn't interested in Emporia (I have a good friend who has a sibling that places, among other things, Target stores). So, it became clear to me that if we wanted that type of retail, we would need to pursue policies that increased our trade area population and created higher paying jobs that improved our median household income. Anything we do from a recruitment standpoint until those two areas are improved is a waste of valuable resources. This isn't a chicken and egg debate (retail follows population, not the other way around). Retail is fairly parasitic in the respect that it captures sales from a fixed "pie" of population and disposable income. And, people typically don't travel from their (insert chain business name here) to visit our (insert chain business name here). Because we are literally surrounded by much larger communities that currently have big box stores, and many of those stores currently view Emporia as in those store's trade area, big box retail in a large scale just isn't realistic for our community. We can, however, promote unique business opportunities. I personally like to support small local businesses because I personally think they do a better job of helping our local economy. Big box stores go where they think they can make money, regardless of what I think or how I choose to shop. So, I'm not always going to be against big box retail. But, I am against what I will loosely refer to as "strategies" that simply dedicate our limited resources towards recruitment without fixing the elements of our economy that could actually attract the type of retail some profess to want.
2. "Why can't we just set booths down the middle of the street?" From an individual that stopped by the office. May is kind of the month of street closures, but there are some things that people need to keep in mind when we close a street. There is actual street closure paperwork that you need to fill out in order to engage the closure. We have the form in the Main Street office if you want a copy, and the finished form is dropped off at the Emporia Police Department. Side streets are an easier closure procedure than Commercial or Merchant, simply because we are dealing with a state highway on parts of Commercial or Merchant. Thus, we don't shut down Commercial or Merchant Street for just any old event (it has to have a significant community benefit). Sixth Street is also federal highway 50, and it basically takes an act of congress to shut it down so we simply don't close that street. Once a street is closed, we still have to provide emergency access routes. So, the center of the street needs to remain fairly open or we have to provide alternative access points. Booths blocking access can make the job of emergency personnel more difficult, so we typically don't have booths blocking the center lane. If you plan on serving alcohol at an event, you must have a temporary liquor license, requisite insurance and city commission approval (if the beer garden is on public property). Paid security and appropriate access points in a completely enclosed (fenced in) area is a requirement for beer gardens on public property. Organizations or individuals requesting street closure must map the area and provide a detailed itinerary of events that take place within the closed area. Individuals that request a street closure are responsible for all clean up associated with their event, both within the designated area and outside the area. Requesting trash receptacles, recycling bins and porta-potties is highly suggested for most street events. I know that is a more extensive answer than the original question called for, but street closures and managing street events is not exactly an easy process. It is good to know what you are in for prior to "jumping in".
3. "How do you think the Glass Blown and Cinco de Mayo Block Party went?" From
several locals. Overall, I think the block party went well. We are in year two of the hybridization of the two events, and both events are in a tremendous growth mode, so we will experience some growing pains. Street closures at 8:00 a.m., the set up of a (essentially) two block beer garden fenced, placing several booths (including some last minute sponsors), dealing with infrastructure issues, working around the weirdness that always pops up in a large event (a dumpster fire, rain, sound issues, etc.) and breaking down/cleaning up such a large area late in the evening makes for a long and daunting day. But, the rewards are evident. Disc golfers from around the United States wondered aloud "why can't we do something like this at our tournament?" while a broad spectrum of the Emporia community came out and had fun together. We will make our notes for future years to continue to improve the process for everyone. How did you think the block party went? Let us know by emailing us at [email protected] And, big "THANK YOU's" go out to the Emporia Police Auxiliary, Lori Andrews, Gary Andrews and Jim Cummins for help with set up and/or break down. We also want to thank the City of Emporia for all of their assistance, and Emporia Main Street Special Events Coordinator Becky Smith for all of her hard work on this event.
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Casey Cagle, a graduate of this year's Start Your Own Business Class, competed in the Entrepreneurial Challenge held at Emporia State University and won first prize! He is representing Emporia in a competition held at Kansas State University between all the regents schools.
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4. "How are you getting all of this stuff done in Emporia?" From a participant in the Kansas Historic Theaters Alliance state meeting. We have a realistic plan that is based on actual data coupled with market trends and a process to implement the plan. It's really that simple. A lot of people get caught up in titles, visions or the various ethereal exercises that convince people that talking about doing things, debating things or dreaming how things could be is the same as actually doing things. We have people responsible for making things happen with inherent accountability built into our system, and the participants in planning set the plan to make things happen. Getting things done takes a groups that have passion, expertise, work ethic and are willing to make sacrifices for the common good. With our Main Street volunteers, they are willing to give of themselves to make the community better. When you add fantastic "doers" to a solid plan, stuff gets done.
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Happy Hour Specials- 4 to 7 p.m.
Monday- Our Signature Drinks are $1 off
Tuesday- All Draws are $1 off
Wednesday- Dealers Choice (whatever we're in the mood to do!)
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5. "Since Emporia is a college town, does the community just screech to a halt when school isn't in session?" From an out-of-town individual. Actually, summer is one of my favorite times in Emporia. We have big events like the Dirty Kanza, but there are a series of smaller activities, like ESU Theater, Brown Bag Concerts at the Emporia Public Library, art classes at the Emporia Arts Center, Live in the Lot concerts, twice weekly Farmer's Markets, community bike rides on Wednesday and Thursday nights, the Sertoma Train rides, Midnight Madness, Granada Theatre concerts, the Lyon County Fair and MUCH MORE. All of these events require you to get out and participate in them, and the vast majority are volunteer driven. So, recognize that in an active community like ours only the boring are bored in Emporia. Also, remember that each of the aforementioned groups are dependent on volunteers to succeed- so if you want to shape the community you want to live in or find yourself saying "I wish we could do ______ in Emporia" the easiest way to make something happen is to volunteer. When you invest your time and energy into a community the size of Emporia, you can make a real difference. We are a community that DOES THINGS. Thus, we are dependent on DOERS to shape our community. Join an initiative you are passionate about, and help improve 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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Brickyard 20 Ale House
402 Merchant
www.brickyard20alehouse.com
2326 Industrial Road
620-342-0150
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Emporia Main Street Calendar of Events
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May 6
Board of Directors Meeting
8:00 a.m. in the Emporia Main Street office
May 13
Promotions Team Meeting
8:00 a.m. in the Emporia Main Street Office
Design Team Meeting
Noon in the Emporia Main Street office
May 16
Flatland Cruisers Car Show
May 20
Board of Directors Meeting
8:00 a.m. in the Emporia Main Street office
May 27
Business Enhancement Meeting
8:00 a.m. in the Emporia Main Street office
Mr. Stinky Feet
Emporia Public Library
Brown Bag- Noon at the Library
May 30
The Dirty Kanza
June 3
Eric Vaughn
Emporia Public Library
Brown Bag- noon at the Library
June 10
Richard Renner -
Vodvill Klown
Emporia Public Library Brown Bag- Noon at the Library
June 17
Randy's Music Jam -
Randy Sauer
Emporia Public Library
Brown Bag- Noon at the Library
June 24
35th Infantry Division Band Brass Quintet
Emporia Public Library
Brown Bag- Noon at the Library
July 1
The Band of Many Colors
Emporia Public Library
Brown Bag- Noon at the Library
July 8
Hispanic Roots Folkloric Dance
Emporia Public Library
Brown Bag- Noon at the Library
July 15
Drum Safari
Emporia Public Library
Brown Bag- Noon at the Library
July 16
Midnight Madness
August 17
Welcome Back Block Party
September 12
Great American Market
For more community event listings, please visit:
www.etownapp.com
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
Bath Expressions
The Beauty Bar
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
DG Wingz
Disciple Shoppe
Dorsey Eye Care
Douglas Chiropractic
Dr. Kerri Thompson, DDS
Dynamic Discs
Eastwood Lake Apartments
Eclectic Bikes
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
Jimmy Johns
Junque Drawer Emporium
Kansas Radio 96.1 The Wave
King Liquor
L & L Pets
Little Red Rooster
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
Paper Moon Antiques
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
Rockin' Accessories
Sauder Custom Fabrication
Schellers Lawn and Landscape
Scott's Lawn and Landscaping
Second Love Gifts
Stanley Jewelry
Studio 11
Studio 50.4
Subway
Sunflower Gymnastics
Sutherlands Lumber Co.
Sweet Granada
Textbook Corner
Thompson Auto Repair
Thrifts and Gifts
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
Mary Kay- Lori Engle
Origami Owl- Angela Dowell
Paula's Creations
Pampered Chef- Chelsea Gerleman
Purse Lady- Nancy Crawford
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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