Frostburg, MD was announced as one of eight shortlist finalists for the Small Business Revolution $500,000 Main Street Makeover, out of almost 14,000 nominations. In January 2017, Small Business Revolution will visit Frostburg to tour the town, talk with business owners, and film a short promotional video. Top finalists will be announced on February 9, 2017, and the nation will have ONE WEEK, closing on February 16, to vote online for their favorite community.
In mid-October, Katie Morgan, a Frostburg State University alumna currently living in Southern Maryland, contacted the City of Frostburg to say she had submitted a nomination for Frostburg, a town she instantly grew to love as a student. The nomination caught the eye of Small Business Revolution. Katie says about her nomination, “I loved the small town feel and the beauty of the mountains surrounding us, so when the opportunity presented itself to give back to Frostburg and help renovate the beloved Main Street, I jumped at the chance.” After the City answered an additional questionnaire and completed a phone interview with Deluxe, a small business growth engine and sponsoring organization of Small Business Revolution, Frostburg received a call to say they had been selected as a shortlist finalist.
As part of the project for the winning town, Deluxe will choose six businesses to work with in the Main Street district, and will also work with community leaders to choose aesthetic projects to complete. “If we win, this would be an opportunity for Frostburg to get a much deserved boost to its revitalization progress,” says Jessica Palumbo, Main Street Manager for Frostburg. “I am so proud of all of the dedication our community members invest, which makes an opportunity like this possible!” The project will be filmed and released as an eight episode, online documentary series.
Frostburg has opened nine new, small businesses, expanded two small businesses in 2016, and is looking forward to more growth and progress in the coming year. Palumbo credits the shortlist finalist nomination to the influx of small business entrepreneurs, volunteerism, and citizens’ dedication to community. To find out more about Frostburg’s Main Street, visit www.downtownfrostburg.com.
Follow us @FrostburgFirst on facebook, twitter, and Instagram to follow our journey!
For more information on the Small Business Revolution project and Deluxe Corporation, visit http://smallbusinessrevolution.org/
Jessica Palumbo
FrostburgFirst
301-689-6900
Frostburgfirst@gmail.com
