If you’ve visited our Bloomfield Main Street website recently, you may have noticed that updates were few and far between in 2024. We want to take a moment to share why and, more importantly, what exciting things we have planned for 2025 and beyond.
Last year brought significant changes to the accreditation process for our organization with both Main Street Iowa and Main Street America. These updates required a deep learning curve—not only for me as the Executive Director but also for our dedicated Board of Directors. Understanding and adapting to these structural shifts took time and effort as we worked to ensure that Bloomfield Main Street remained aligned with these evolving standards.
On a personal note, 2024 was also a year of growth in another way—I had the incredible opportunity to welcome a new addition to my family. Taking time to be home and cherish those early moments was truly special, and I’m grateful for the support that allowed me to do so.
With 2025 underway, we are refocusing our efforts to keep our website up to date as a key resource for our community, businesses, and visitors. Ensuring timely communication and transparency is a top priority, and we’re committed to making this an ongoing effort.
Looking ahead, our Transformation Strategies for the next 2-3 years will focus on:
- Placemaking – Enhancing public spaces to make our downtown more vibrant and welcoming. Our projects include Downtown Clean-Ups, where we track the number of volunteers who participate, bags of debris collected, and storefronts improved. We are also promoting Design Assistance Services through Main Street Iowa to help property owners improve their buildings. Additionally, we have established a Local Grant Program to support building improvements and further strengthen our downtown’s appeal.
- Tourism – Attracting visitors and showcasing Bloomfield as a must-visit destination. Our efforts include adding new attractions to yearly events, Quarterly Business Update Meetings to keep our business community informed, and Post-Event Consumer Surveys to better understand visitor experiences. We are also developing Historic Walking Tours to celebrate our town’s rich history and offering Business Education Seminars to help local businesses improve their marketing strategies.
- Knowledge Economy – Supporting business growth, innovation, creating a strong Main Street Program, and workforce development. Our key initiatives include the Community Connections weekly radio show, a Main Street Explained Seminar Series to educate the public on our mission, and developing a strategy to keep our website up to date. We are also tracking our program presentations to the public, implementing a successful investment drive, and ensuring we track volunteer hours while hosting a volunteer recognition event to celebrate those who contribute to our mission.
We’ve already begun implementing projects and initiatives within our committees to bring these strategies to life, and we look forward to sharing our progress with you.
Thank you for your continued support of Bloomfield Main Street. Here’s to a year of growth, connection, and revitalization!
