Plan a Roadtrip to 12 Nationally Accredited Main Street Communities in Indiana 

Small Business Saturday launched Indiana Main Street’s ‘Shop Small IN Indiana’ campaign that highlights 12 Nationally Accredited Main Street communities throughout Indiana! The initiative was designed to encourage shoppers to support local small businesses while exploring new communities. Although the campaign was introduced on Small Business Saturday, its reach will continue to expand as community members are encouraged to participate during the holiday season and beyond.

What started with an idea for a community shopping and amenities guide, quickly formed into an immersive experience that promotes exploring several of the outstanding Nationally Accredited Main Street districts across Indiana.

“As the State coordinating program for Indiana, our main goal is to offer support to our main street communities,” says Andrea Kern, OCRA Director of Strategic Initiatives. “The ‘Shop Small IN Indiana’ campaign is a great way for us to promote tourism to these communities and encourage people to spend their dollars in some of the best downtowns in Indiana.” 

The vision behind this campaign creates the perfect holiday shopping activity for those with an adventurous spirit! By participating in ‘Shop Small IN Indiana,’ you can discover how many amazing communities are represented by Nationally Accredited Main Street organizations while supporting small businesses near and far. Plus, you may even find a new favorite store, restaurant or travel destination!

It All Starts with a Free Tote Bag

So, how can community members like yourself get involved? You can stop by any of the 12 participating Main Street organizations to receive a free ‘Shop Small IN Indiana’ tote bag to kick off your journey. The tote bag will include an extensive shopping guide that features each participating community, an Indiana Main Street pin and the corresponding Main Street organization’s pin. From there, get excited to plan a road trip with stops at all 12 locations to collect the remaining pins and discover what these downtown districts have to offer!

Visiting each location gives you the chance to experience delightful new communities. Tote bags will be available while supplies last, but the guides are a unique tool that can be used well into the future. You can use the guides to plan your next travel excursion, make a list of favorite spots you’d like to revisit or keep on-hand in case you are ever researching businesses that offer products not available in your own community.

Downtown Wabash, Inc. is proud to be featured among the 12 Nationally Accredited Main Street communities. The option to participate in the campaign was offered to each Indiana Accredited and Nationally Accredited Main Street community, and Downtown Wabash, Inc. jumped at the opportunity to be involved. Participating organizations were able to submit promotional materials highlighted in the shopping guide and are included in the tote bag initiative. 

Those featured alongside Downtown Wabash, Inc. are: Aurora Main Street, Main Street Brookville, Frankfort Main Street, Jeffersonville Main Street, Historic Downtown Kendallville, Lawrenceburg Main Street, Heart of Lebanon, Madison Main Street, Richmond Main Street, Seymour Main Street and Shelbyville Main Street. 

The campaign further supports Main Street organizations’ efforts by providing an opportunity for visitors to experience the vibrancy of each downtown district. Not only that, but the initiative also contributes to economic development by boosting local spending and promoting downtown businesses.

Downtown Businesses Benefit

An emphasis on shopping local was fundamental in the creation of the campaign, as locally-owned businesses are the heart of thriving downtown districts. According to American Express, 67 cents of every dollar spent at local small businesses stays within the local economy. The ‘Shop Small IN Indiana’ initiative provides the perfect opportunity for customers to complete holiday shopping while simultaneously giving back to local communities.

Even though some of the destinations may be further away, several businesses have an online presence with the ability to ship products to customers. This means if you find a new favorite business while visiting all 12 locations, you can maintain that connection and continue to receive the products you love. The overall intention is that businesses within participating Main Street communities will get to welcome new visitors who one day may become loyal customers.