Newsroom

#Sidewalkvibes art encourages community

A tight-knit community that is known for taking care of each other, Columbiana has managed to find ways to encourage its citizens while maintaining physical activity and safe distancing. Chosen as the county seat in 1826, Columbiana has an old-town charm that lends itself well to those who need to get outside and move during the quarantine.

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Downtown Opelika adapting, improving to survive COVID-19

So, what’s it like trying to keep a shop going in downtown Opelika during the COVID-19 outbreak? “Oh, well, we’re not making what we made before,” said Southern Crossing owner Valerie Smith, “but we have actually been slammed this week with Easter. We implemented free delivery — we’ve never delivered before. And we’re doing curbside from 1-4 p.m. every day.” There has been a big run on Easter baskets for the shop, which is on South Railroad Avenue next to Ma Fia’s Ristorante.

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Historic video tours of Wetumpka to be online this week

In an effort to keep residents informed, educated and entertained for the next few weeks, Main Street Wetumpka announced plans to detail Wetumpka’s historic downtown in a series of videos. Main Street Wetumpka executive director Jenny Stubbs said the idea came about after she recently found a hand-drawn map from 1972 by local artist Austin R. Martin in the back of a book. “I’ve never seen the book or map before but because I have delved into the history of Wetumpka the past four years, people have sent me odds and ends,” she said.

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Spend Local Safely: Five Ways You Can Support Your Main Street Businesses During the Coronavirus

The new coronavirus is first and foremost a threat to the health of millions of Americans. Thousands of suspected cases have been confirmed with countless others yet to be tested, putting an unprecedented strain on health care professionals and hospitals. But the effects of COVID-19 are being felt just as acutely by small businesses. Across the country, main street corridors packed with historic buildings stand silent, as the customers who typically flock to these places wisely stay home. The results are exactly what you’d expect: Without their primary source of revenue, local shops and businesses must make difficult decisions about whether to lay off workers, or even close permanently. The National Trust's Main Street America program is seeking to minimize the blow by guiding Main Street communities through the crisis. “The impact of COVID-19 on small businesses and local economies is already significant and appears likely to become even more extensive,” says Matthew Wagner, vice president of revitalization programs at Main Street America.

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‘Everybody is making a sacrifice’: How one Alabama main street is coping

Only 12 weeks ago when the coronavirus was getting a ripple of news in faraway China, Gadsden’s Back Forty Beer Co. was projecting 15 percent growth for 2020. But within the last week, the dominoes started falling. Now owner Jason Wilson is looking at a loss of about 65 percent of his revenue due to the social distancing measures in place for containing the virus. At the same time, the brewery’s taproom and kitchen are seeing all-time highs in takeout orders and to-go beer sales from community support.

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