Main Street Alabama, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and Main Street Atmore, will host an open house to celebrate its recent installment of the Small “Boxcar” Shop, a retail incubator made possible through a USDA Rural Development Grant.
The newest fixture in the community is set inside Boxcar Park, a public space and outdoor stage where popular events take place, including a recent performance by Will Moseley of American Idol fame. The Small Boxcar Shop will be managed by Main Street Atmore and is a turn-key space for local entrepreneurs launching a small business with long-term goals of securing a downtown storefront. The open house is scheduled for October 25, 3 p.m., at 207 W. Ridgeley Street.
“We are proud to continue this innovative program in Atmore, allowing its Main Street organization to offer entrepreneurs an opportunity to test products and secure a spot in the local market before moving into a storefront,” said Main Street Alabama President and State Coordinator Mary Helmer Wirth. “Our program strives to keep investment here in Alabama, and we know the design of the unit will add to the downtown landscape and contribute to the district’s vibrancy.”
Shinora Redmond, Main Street Atmore’s executive director, explains how the initiatives of the retail incubator fall in line with the entity’s existing entrepreneurial program.
“We hope to continue building a thriving entrepreneurial community where business owners can focus on working ‘on’ their business, not just ‘in’ their business,” Redmond said. “We actually have businesses which started as vendor businesses inside other stores downtown and have found success in their own storefronts. The Small Boxcar Shop is the perfect way to expand our small business ecosystem, continue fostering an entrepreneur-friendly environment, and add to the allure of our downtown experience.”
Following the open house, Main Street Atmore will begin its application process for interested businesses. This will include an abbreviated lease model, as well as pop-up shops, if the space is available, with the long-term goal of empowering occupants to open a storefront in the district.
A nonprofit organization, Main Street Alabama stresses public-private partnerships, broad community engagement, and strategies that create jobs, spark new investment, attract visitors, and spur growth in core commercial districts. Main Street builds on the authentic history, culture, and attributes of specific places, to bring sustainable change.