Downtown Boone Development Association (DBDA) Designated as a 2025 Accredited Program by Main Street America Town of Boone, North Carolina

Downtown Boone Development Association (DBDA) Designated as a 2025 Accredited Program by Main Street America Town of Boone, North Carolina – The Downtown Boone Development Association has been designated as an Accredited Main Street America program for meeting rigorous performance standards.

Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of designated programs to recognize their exceptional commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.

Main Street America recognizes two tiers of national designation — Affiliate and Accredited. These designations are a powerful advocacy tool, signaling to local stakeholders, as well as city, state, and national funders, that a Main Street program has an established position within a
nationwide movement with a 45-year proven track record of generating impressive economic returns, building local capacity, creating welcoming and inviting communities, and creating lasting impact.

“Main Street America is proud to recognize this year’s 821 Accredited Main Street America programs for their commitment to building strong and vibrant communities,” said Erin Barnes, President and CEO of Main Street America. “Their tireless efforts show what’s possible when
engaged leaders work together to shape places that reflect the people they serve. The continued impact of our network shows that the Main Street movement remains a powerful force for positive transformation.”

The Downtown Boone Development Association’s performance was evaluated through assessments conducted by the organization’s personnel and board of directors, and the North Carolina Main Street & Rural Planning Center, which works in partnership with Main Street
America to identify local programs that meet rigorous national community evaluation standards. These standards provide the Main Street America network with a strong foundational framework to review progress, recognize strengths, understand trends, and identify strategies that move Main Street programs forward. To quality for Accredited status—Main Street America’s top designation tier—communities must demonstrate a proved track record of achieving outcomes in alignment with the Main Street Approach and exceptional performance in six areas: broad-based community commitment to revitalization; inclusive leadership and organizational capacity; diversified funding and sustainable program operations; strategy-driven programming; preservation-based economic development; and demonstrated impact and results.

In 2024, Main Street America programs generated $7.65 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,324 new businesses, facilitated the creation of 33,835 new jobs, rehabilitated 10,126 historic buildings, and logged 1.9 million volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a
Main Street program spent to support its operations, $21.73 was reinvested into its downtown and commercial corridor communities.

Over the last year, Downtown Boone saw over $7.6 million in private investment and $628,000 in public investment, reflecting strong community support for a vibrant downtown. Major DBDA-supported projects included coordinated, on-brand signage to support businesses
impacted by the Howard Street construction, the Hellbender Mural celebrating a local endangered species, and the launch of a successful Downtown Restaurant Week that drew visitors and boosted local dining establishments. Two building improvements and two façade
enhancements were completed in conjunction with the opening of nine new downtown businesses. Despite a young, student-heavy population with a median age of 21, the level of private investment underscores the community’s appreciation for a thriving downtown.

“Earning Main Street accreditation is a significant achievement that reflects the rigor of the program and the dedication of our Board to the Four-Point Approach. It’s a testament to the hard work and collaboration behind the scenes, and it underscores our commitment to long-term
economic vitality, historic preservation, and a thriving downtown district. Perhaps most importantly, it highlights the joy of working together and the deep appreciation we have for the volunteers and partners whose spirit of service truly reflects the heart of our community.” Lane
Moody, Downtown Boone Development Coordinator.

ABOUT THE DOWNTOWN BOONE DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
The Downtown Boone Development Association is charged with administering the Main Street program at the local level and building public-private partnership to spur economic development that achieves measurable results such as investment, business growth, and job creation. For more information, visit www.downtownboonenc.com.

ABOUT MAIN STREET AMERICA
Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation-based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. For more than 40 years, Main Street America has provided a practical,
adaptable, and impactful framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization through the Main Street Approach™. Our network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, share both a commitment to place and to building stronger
communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, the Main Street Movement has resulted in $115.42 billion reinvested locally, 181,647 net new businesses, 815,895 net new jobs, 345,801 buildings rehabilitated, and 37.3 million volunteer hours. Main
Street America is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit mainstreet.org