L.L.Consulting

Excellent article to share with your downtown retailers.

How Retailers are Navigating Change and Finding Success in 2025 The consumer, business, and technology trends affecting small businesses in 2025.

"When a West Virginia University (WVU) Fashion, Design and Merchandising professor called Main Street Morgantown to say she was looking for a downtown space where her students could run a retail store, they sent her to me. As a board member working on Main Street’s vacant storefront revitalization effort, Morgantown ReStored, I’d developed a good sense of what spaces were available and who owned what.

Beth explained that she had run multiple retail stores herself in years past and now wanted to create a place where her students could get hands-on experience in all aspects of a retail business — from creating displays and sourcing and stocking merchandise to making sales and turning a profit. Having been to the Savannah College of Art and Design’s store, which sells work created and designed by SCAD students, alumni, and faculty, I knew just how exciting her idea could be for our community."

Main Street Morgantown Board Member Jessica McDonald shares how her organization leveraged unique partnerships to create a retail incubator that supports artists, students, and the downtown. Read the whole story on our website (link in the comments).

Interested in bringing free, live music to your community? You're invited to a live webinar on Thursday, May 15, at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, to learn about an exciting, multi-year matching grant opportunity of up to $120K (up to $40K each year) for towns and cities of all sizes to present a free outdoor concert series. Applications open today, May 1 through June 30, 2025, for the 2026-2028 Levitt Music Series Grants to activate underused public spaces and build community through the power of free, live music.

During the webinar, we'll discuss the overall application process, including:
• Goals of Levitt Music Series Grants
• Outline of the three grant options: AMP, BLOC, VIBE
• Eligibility criteria
• Online application process and key dates
• What makes a compelling application
• Matching funds requirement
• Public voting process and mini grant
• Levitt Toolkit and support resources
At the end of the presentation, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions. Registration is required to attend the webinar.

Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Levitt Music Series Grant Opportunity Webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar. Interested in bringing free, live music to your community? You're invited to a live webinar on Thursday, May 15, at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, to learn about an exciting, multi-year matching grant opportunity up to $120K (up to $40K each year) for towns and cities of all sizes to present a free outdoor...