Main Street District – Here’s How You Can Help

March 16, 2020

From the City Center Partnership:

Dear Friends,

The safety and health of Main Street District workers, residents, and patrons is very important to us at City Center Partnership.

We encourage everyone to follow the guidelines of public health officials at the local, state, and national level.  If we abide by CDC guidelines, we will get through this sooner.

Main Street District shops and restaurants are taking extensive, diligent measures to provide a clean and safe environment, from providing hand sanitizer to providing to-go orders for curbside pickup.

The COVID-19 public health crisis poses incredibly difficult financial challenges to MSD stores, services, and restaurants – over 90% are locally owned and operated. Even just a few weeks of diminished patronage can be devastating to these businesses.

There are several meaningful ways you can still support your favorite Downtown businesses during this challenging time.  Please check with your local retailers to see if they offer e-commerce shops. Please also consider ordering takeout, purchasing gift cards, etc. We will keep you up to date with new information as we are able to do so on our Main Street District FB page. Please follow us here if you do not already: https://www.facebook.com/MainStColaSC/

Our community’s health depends on all of us working together, showing compassion, and remaining strong. Our MSD businesses are the heart and soul of our civic identity and a significant driver of our city’s economy. We at City Center Partnership ask you to join us in ensuring the success and viability of our locally owned small businesses by engaging as safely as is recommended in the days and weeks ahead.

Thank you,

City Center Partnership Staff

 

Who is City Center Partnership and the BID?

In 2001, City Center Partnership was formed to manage the downtown Business Improvement District in the 36-block area bounded by Gervais, Elmwood, Assembly and Marion streets in Columbia, SC. The organization provides public space management, economic development, place management, marketing services, and public advocacy for the Main Street District.

The Board of Directors oversee the organization’s mission — to focus on filling vacancies in commercial properties, retaining existing downtown businesses and recruiting new ones, expanding the downtown residential base, and creating a safe, clean, and friendly downtown environment.