The Tahlequah Main Street Association (TMSA) is a non-profit organization that focuses it's energies and resources on revitalizing the downtown district. Some of the goals the Main Street Association has envisioned for the revitalization of the downtown district are:
- To make it strong and economically viable for new and existing businesses
- To bring in new businesses to keep a strong retail mix
- To assist merchants with business plans and building owners with facade renovations
- To promote the rich Cherokee Heritage and History of Tahlequah
- To make the downtown district a destination for tourist and locals
These goals will be achieved by using the Four Point Approach that was designed and implemented by the National Main Street Program. This approach comes highly regarded and has a proven and successful track record. TMSA is utilizing this system and has made great strides towards achieving its goals during with four active
es.
The four elements to this approach are Promotion, Organization, Economic Restructuring and Design. There is a committee assigned to each of these elements with specific duties and long-term goals.
| Promotions: |
Tourism is Tahlequah #1 industry. Each year thousands of tourists visit Lake Tenkiller, the Illinois river, the Heritage Center and the Trail of Tears Drama. They also venture downtown for shopping and to dine in our eateries and restaurants. The goal of the Promotions Committee is to highlight and draw tourists and residents downtown. This is achieved by holding family-oriented events such as concerts on the square or celebrating Cinco de Mayo. The promotions committee also helps merchants bring in foot traffic with events such as the Main Street Scavenger Hunt.
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| Economic Restructuring: |
Our Economic Restructuring Committee is constantly working hard to gather data that will assist Tahlequah Main Street in bringing new businesses downtown. This committee is always on the lookout for new merchants to give our downtown a unique flair and feel. The economic Restructuring Committee also works with building owners trying to get them to offer incentives that will bring in the new merchants and help them be successful.
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| Organization: |
This committee recruits volunteers to help the Main Street program with upcoming events and its day-to-day operations. Volunteers are the lifeblood of this program without their help and support the program would not be able to achieve a high level of success.
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| Design: |
The design or "look and feel" of the downtown area is a huge factor in attracting new businesses, shoppers and tourists. This committee words with many groups in order to keep the downtown beautiful and clean. The Design Committee also works with merchants and building owners when the express interest in renovating the facades or storefronts. Currently we have an architect who provides drawings and renderings for interested property owners.
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As you can see the Tahlequah Main Street Association has an aggressive and long-term approach to revitalizing the downtown district. Reaching these goals will only be achieved through the City of Tahlequah, NSU, the Cherokee Nation, the Chamber of Commerce, business owners and the townspeople. Each of our partners sees the need and importance of a strong and viable downtown.
We encourage you join the Tahlequah Main Street Association and help us keep our downtown district strong an beautiful. Your annual donation is tax deductible and is being reinvested back into the community.
If you have any further questions about the goals and objectives of TMSA please feel free to call the Director at 431-1655 or stop by the office located downtown at 100 South Muskogee Avenue in the Bank of America Building.
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