Cape Girardeau wins two Missouri Main Street awards

Old Town Cape brought home awards for Best Economic Restructuring Project and Volunteer of the Year during the Missouri Main Street conference in St. Louis last week.

The Operation Main Street: Business Success Series was named the 2012 Best Economic Restructuring Project by the Missouri Main Street organization. The project was started as a way to directly recruit businesses into the district and enhance the viability and sustainability of businesses in the downtown area. Based on the needs of the project, the Douglas C. Greene Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship developed a custom designed training program that included financial counseling, needs assessment, mystery shopping and an action plan competition at the end of the project. The entire program was offered at no charge to the businesses within the Old Town Cape district.

Missouri Main Street's 2012 Volunteer of the Year award went to Claire Bruce, owner of Merchapolitan and Sloan and Themis.

Bruce started on Old Town Cape's Economic Restructuring Committee in 2009. As a strategic marketing professional with a background in market research, consumer behavior, marketing and program planning, Bruce has used her skills to interpret the Downtown Market Analysis from the DREAM Initiative. She was also the brains behind the Operation Main Street: Business Success Series.

Previous Missouri Main Street award winners include Outstanding Public Official Heather Brooks and Business Excellence Award for Annie Laurie's Antiques in 2011.

Old Town Cape is a nationally accredited Main Street Program.