The Main Street Alabama network will soon be in Eclectic.
For a couple of months, a small group of business owners, leaders and others have been meeting in hopes of promoting Eclectic and an application will soon be submitted to Main Street Alabama.
The group has even settled on a name — E-Town Collective based on the E-Town saying many already use in town. It came as the result of a meeting last week in a group discussion led by Hercules’ Jessica Hoagland.
“We want it to tie into the entire community but want it slightly different from what some of the kids are using,” Hoagland said. “Hopefully it gives us some momentum.”
Another idea behind the name allows a possible membership base to reach beyond the few blocks of downtown Eclectic, especially with no other real promoter of Eclectic beyond the city, its residents and businesses. At the meeting, approximately 20 people attended, including downtown business owners. First Community Bank of Central Alabama was well represented with no less than four employees. It’s location is on Highway 63 on the north side of Eclectic in what some think of as a north business district.
“We want to incorporate everybody,” Hoagland said. “We don't want anyone to feel like they are not included.”
The application to Main Street Alabama is also well underway.
“It is really completed,” Hoagland said. “Once that is submitted we become a network community. There is a big process to follow to become a Main Street program. It helps revitalize towns.”
Once the application is approved, Eclectic is still not a Main Street town, but it opens the door to Main Street resources such as fundraising and training. It takes a couple of years to move from a network community to a Main Street community. One of the requirements is at least a paid part-time director with plans to move to a full-time director.
Regular attendees of the meetings are starting to come together, almost forming a board. It is something that will be needed eventually.
“We want to get a structure down, having ideas of what we want to do and how to move forward,” Hoagland said.
Ideas were tossed around to get everyone involved. The first was using the familiar E-Town in the name. Another is approaching students at the schools in Eclectic, especially Elmore County High School.
“We have talked about a student ambassador program,” Hoagland said. “That helps tie them in as well and gives them buy-in.”
The goal is to get everyone on the same page. It might be beautification projects such as benches, trash receptacles and murals. It is also creating events to draw people in and make them feel comfortable.
“We want something everybody knows Eclectic for that is not the Cotton Festival,” Hoagland said. “We want something else also drawing folks in and maybe they will come back more to visit our stores and shops.”