Main Street McMinnville (MSM) recently held its annual meeting to discuss the progress the group has made, plans for the future and to elect officers for the upcoming year. Awards were also bestowed.

Outgoing Main Street McMinnville Board President Joe O'Neal felt his year as leader was a fruitful one and he is proud of the momentum the board has built.

"My year as president and being a part of the building remodels was awesome. Main Street McMinnville and the events it has held has helped bring more people downtown, including attracting more out-of-towners, which benefits all downtown businesses," he said.

Hoping to build upon the foundation O'Neal leaves behind is incoming MSM Board President Chad Graves.

"We have a really good board and we are planning to set our goals as a group to decide where we want to go as an organization and set our marching orders. There is a lot of growth downtown. We love bringing other businesses on board as well as attracting visitors and tourists. Although we are called Main Street McMinnville, we feel our work has a residual effect and helps other businesses in the downtown area and even beyond," Graves said.

Main Street McMinnville Executive Director Jennifer Flatt Meredith touched on the bright future the organization envisions and the success of the previous year. 

"We had a really good year and got our accreditation as a Main Street America Community once again. Over $2 million in private investments have been put into downtown this year and that's only skyrocketing. We've had several new businesses open and all of our events we have held have been proven to draw thousands of people to the area to show them what we have to offer. Events such as the Pioneer Homecoming Pep Rally last October brought in 6,800 people to the downtown area, which had a residual benefit for the businesses. What's good for downtown is also good for the rest of the county," Meredith said.

Incoming Board Vice-President Kelley Snyder, owner of The Hitch on Main Street, pointed out locals often underestimate the draw the downtown area has for out-of-towners and said the impact of those visitors shouldn't be taken for granted. 

"People don't realize how many people come here from out of town. When people visit our store who I don't recognize, I ask where they are from and what brought them here. Everybody just loves our downtown area. So many people who have come during the Christmas season said that Hallmark needs to come here to film a movie. Our downtown decorations, the concerts and all of the events bring people to the county who then spend money at local airbnbs, hotels, restaurants, etc.," Snyder said.

One such attraction drawing people downtown is Second Saturday, a monthly event during which Main Street businesses stay open late on the second Saturday of the month with special sales and local musicians playing at various locations up and down Main Street. Main Street McMinnville estimates an average of 4,000 people attend the event, over 1,000 more than visit on a regular Saturday. Main Street McMinnville projects it is on track to have over 1 million visitors to downtown McMinnville this year.

One of Main Street McMinnville's biggest projects and fundraisers is Main Street Live, the popular summer concert series which is free to attend. Main Street Live is made possible through the generosity of local donors, with leftover donations being put into grant-matching funds which help continue upgrading the downtown area. Another upcoming fundraiser is the annual Farm to Table Dinner, set for Aug. 24. Tickets will go on sale at the end of July with all proceeds going to the grant-matching funds. 

The Main Street McMinnville Board is comprised of: Joe O'Neal, past chair; Chad Graves, president; Kelley Snyder, vice-president; Raven Young, secretary; Darin Payne, treasurer; Jimmy Haley; Brittany Davis; Alma Shoemaker; Meredith Woodlee; Kara Youngblood; Hunter MacDonald; Adam Hollandsworth; Trevor Borowiak; Sean Garrett; Melissa Mullins; Wendy Sneed; Joe Harvey; and lifetime members, Cliff Davidson, Jeff Golden, Rachel Killebrew, and Amy-Jo Stanford.

Receiving annual awards at the meeting were Joe Schoolfield, volunteer of the year; Kara Youngblood, revitalization award; and Wendy Sneed, above-and-beyond award.