What makes Courtney Bean with Main Street Elizabethton a good neighbor?

Downtown districts represent the heartbeat of American communities, serving as cultural centers, economic engines, and gathering spaces for residents and visitors alike. The Good Neighbor Podcast recently featured Courtney Bean, Director of Main Street Elizabethton, who provided fascinating insights into how these vital programs operate and the impact they have on small towns across America.

Main Street programs exist nationwide, with thousands of communities participating in this movement to strengthen their downtown corridors. As Bean explains, Tennessee alone boasts 40-50 programs, creating a network of revitalization efforts across the state. However, Bean prefers the terms "elevate" and "grow" rather than "revitalize" when describing Elizabethton's approach, noting that their downtown was never truly dead – just in need of strategic growth and enhancement to fill existing gaps in the community landscape.

The organizational structure of Main Street Elizabethton represents a powerful public-private partnership model. Bean works as a city employee while collaborating with a separate nonprofit board of directors, creating a community-oriented approach deeply rooted in local engagement. This hybrid structure allows for meaningful connections between merchants, city leadership, and community members. Perhaps most importantly, participation in Main Street isn't limited to downtown businesses – anyone from Carter County or the surrounding region can become a member and contribute to downtown's future.

Recent accomplishments highlight the program's impact, with four public art installations completed in just two years, creating vibrant spaces that attract visitors and instill community pride. These projects exemplify the patience required in community development work, as Bean shared that one mural project took nearly 15 months from grant application to dedication ceremony. This timeline illustrates an important reality in public projects: meaningful change requires time, persistence, and collaborative effort.

Bean tackles common misconceptions about downtown areas, noting that many people have outdated perceptions about what's available. When addressing complaints about too many antique stores, she explains the district actually has a diverse mix of establishments including boutiques, t-shirt printers, and specialty shops. With only a 9% vacancy rate across 150 active businesses, downtown Elizabethton presents a vibrant commercial environment that might surprise those who haven't visited recently.

The regional approach to downtown development represents a particularly effective strategy. Bean herself lives in Johnson City but has been "adopted" by Elizabethton, emphasizing that the short 15-minute drive between these communities facilitates a regional mindset. This perspective acknowledges that while each town has its unique personality, connecting these "micro local communities" strengthens the entire region's appeal to residents and tourists alike.

For those interested in supporting their own downtown districts, Bean offers practical suggestions. Beyond simply visiting and making purchases (where 60 cents of every dollar stays in the local community), she encourages people to get involved directly through membership programs. At just $50 annually or $5 monthly, individual memberships make participation accessible while providing community members a voice in shaping downtown's future through committee participation and event support.

As communities nationwide work to strengthen their downtown districts, the Main Street approach demonstrates how structured programs with community engagement at their core can drive meaningful, sustainable development. The work isn't quick or easy, but as Bean reminds us, the best things take time to cultivate – and the results are well worth the investment.

To learn more about Main Street Elizabethton go to:

https://mainstreetelizabethton.com/

Main Street Elizabethton

423-213-0090