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This year, downtown Lynden in Washington state was the grand prize winner of a contest that celebrates American downtowns.
In 2017, your city could be next. Watch for news from Independent We Stand, an organization that exists to support locally owned businesses, about the second-annual America’s Main Streets contest, which will take place in the spring of 2017. The winning city will receive prizes for downtown improvement work.
In 2016, Independent We Stand presented a $25,000 cash prize to the city of Lynden after the first-ever America’s Main Streets contest. More than 250 main streets were nominated and people cast more than 280,000 votes for their favorite downtowns.
As the winner, Lynden received $25,000, as well as prizes from Independent We Stand sponsors. For example, home improvement co-op Do it Best Corp. provided a $500 shopping spree.
Investing Locally
During Lynden’s Fourth of July festivities, the city announced how the prize money would be used, according to The Bellingham Business Journal.
“We want to put as much as we can into the downtown for the residents and visitors, and get a bang for our buck,” Ken Stap, president of the Lynden Downtown Business Association, says in article from The Bellingham Business Journal. “This is what happens when a small community stays together. We are honored and it’s a privilege.”
Watch the video below for more information about the city of Lynden. The video highlights the community, features clips from a July 4 press conference about the America’s Main Streets contest and shares thoughts from local independent business owners.
