MACON, Ga. — For the past 27 years, NewTown Macon's mission has been to invest time, resources and money into local businesses. Through loans and other forms of support, they've helped bring new business to the heart of Macon.
Now, NewTown Macon was recently recognized as one of the best in the country at what they do — growing Downtown Macon.
Main Street America, which offers resources to groups working to revitalize downtown neighborhoods, named NewTown Macon a semifinalist for the 2024 Great American Main Street Award.
The award is given to organizations that are invested in consistent growth and revitalization.
Many nearby businesses say NewTown Macon has helped so much that this is a win for the whole city.
"We're a town of small businesses, locally owned entrepreneurs and I love that," business owner Scott Mitchell said. "I absolutely adore working with NewTown Macon!"
Mitchell is the marketing chair for Main Street America and the owner of The Bohemian Den and Sweet Eleanor's Divine Desserts.
Here in Macon, Mitchell says NewTown Macon has created trust within the community.
"I love seeing just how much they're invested in the community, and I love being a part of that," Mitchell said. "They have helped finance both of my businesses and have really been a catalyst in so much of the change that's happening downtown."
Kandis Wilburn is the general manager at Your Pie Pizza.
"It's great," Wilburn said. "It's going to bring so much business downtown. We're excited!"
Wilburn says the help NewTown brings helps mainly smaller businesses.
"When you see an area like this it is always big," Wilburn said. "Most of the businesses down here are little mom-and-pop shops. You don't have a lot of corporate in downtown Macon so you're helping locals, you're shopping local when you're downtown, so that helps everybody. That keeps the community a community."
Over the past couple of years, Wilburn said she's seen NewTown Macon help grow downtown Macon without sacrificing its historic value.
"NewTown Macon has put a lot of focus down here and they've done a lot for us," Wilburn said. "With everything they're revitalizing, they're making downtown prettier, better. They are driving business and trying to get more and more people down here. As a business owner, we appreciate it."
Nick Landis, the production manager at Ocmulgee Brewpub, said NewTown Macon's impact to downtown is finally getting recognized.
"This was a place that we can come and be a part of the community in, and that there are other people who are working harder than we are on making sure that it's a place that more people want to be," Landis said. "I do see a lot of the impact that NewTown Macon has because of what they do to help new businesses develop, help people find ways to get old and new properties, and even the programs they have are great."
Semifinalists were said to have generated over $1.48 billion in local reinvestment, helped open a net 881 new businesses, facilitated the creation of 3,827 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 2,164 historic buildings and leveraged 306,986 volunteer hours.
The award winners will be at a conference in Birmingham, Alabama on May 6, 2024.