Who We Are
About Us
Better Hometown Blackshear is Blackshear’s Main Street program and is part of a national network of more than 1,200 active Main Street entities. It is an essential, community-driven initiative that focuses on the revitalization of older, traditional business districts throughout the United States. The underlying premise of the Main Street concept is to encourage economic development within the context of historic preservation in ways that are appropriate for today’s marketplace. Main Street programs advocate a return to community self-reliance, local empowerment and the rebuilding of traditional commercial districts based on their unique assets—distinctive architecture, a pedestrian-friendly environment, personal service, local ownership and a sense of community.
The Main Street Four-Point Approach™ is a comprehensive strategy that is tailored to meet local needs and opportunities. It encompasses work in four distinct areas — Design, Economic Restructuring, Promotion and Organization . Committees, that encourage community involvement and work to catalyze action in these impactful areas, are an important part of most Main Street Programs.
The Main Street philosophy and the Eight Guiding Principles behind this methodology make it an effective tool for community-based, grassroots revitalization efforts. These eight components ask Main Street cities to take a comprehensive approach, move in incremental steps, promote self-help, create partnerships, strive to identify and capitalize on existing assets, emphasize quality, be open to change and, most importantly, be committed to implementation.
The Main Street approach has been successful in communities of all sizes, both rural and urban.
For more information about the program and how you can get involved, please contact us via the Contact Us page!
What We Do
What We Offer To The Community
Organizing the Business Community: The organization will create opportunities for local businesses to gather to discuss ideas, cares, complaints, and solutions on how to expand commerce within the area. The organization will not be restricted to traditional business, but will include home-based businesses, retired business men and women, local not for profit organizations, and individuals interested in seeing the local business community flourish.
Promoting the Local Community: The organization will work through its membership to promote the community as a great place to live, to own a business, to work and to enjoy a high quality of life. This activity of promotion will include special community events to encourage commerce and fellowship in the Better Hometown Blackshear Area. The organization will use the support of its membership to advertise and market the local community through traditional and emerging media, while enhancing the overall brand of the local community.
Designing a Better Community: The organization will work through its membership to develop, assist in developing, and implementing programs of better design for the Local Blackshear Community. This will include work through our local government in improving the looks of public spaces, working to preserve historic structures of commerce through education and grants, creating plans to expand commerce in underutilized areas and make the area more desirable to live work and play.
Recruiting new Businesses: The organization will work through its membership to find areas in the local economy where the market is under served or not served at all and to develop plans to recruit businesses to fill these voids. The organization will conduct downtown spotlights, groundbreakings, assist in developing market research, look for investors for private enterprise and celebrate new businesses coming to the area.
Our Mission
The organization is established to further the general welfare and prosperity of the citizens, businesses, industries, cultural and educational programs of and around the Blackshear, Georgia area. Essential to this mission is to apply a nationally recognized 4-point approach trademarked by the National Main Street Center for improving designated Main Street communities. This approach includes business development, design, organization, and promotion. Additionally, the organization will provide a membership outlet to carry out its mission and activities
