Explore our history!

Our friends at the Quaker Hill Historic Preservation Foundation are bringing history to life in Wilmington!

This Saturday, come out for a FREE interactive, family friendly Underground Railroad workshop in the historic Wilmington Friends Meeting House. Enjoy PIZZA while educator Darleen Amobi innovatively teaches about the struggles and creativity of Freedom Seekers such as Henry "Box" Brown. Courtesy of the DE Humanties Forum, prepare to be regaled by the first person account of Private James Elbert: African-American Delawarean, solider in the Union Army and hero of Polktown.

Click Here for more information.

I hope you will take advantage of this great opportunity!

Marty

Inspiring

This is too good not to share.

This was recently posted on Facebook:

I try to find beauty in every thing every day but once in a while you come across something so beautiful and touching that you have to share it with everyone! Talk about the true meaning of showing love and kindness - Our Downtown Wilmington Safety Ambassador holding the hand of a Downtown resident walking with her down the mall! This kind and wonderful gesture just proves that there is kindness no matter what is said about our city or even in our country! 

I have said it before, and I will say it again - I am proud to work with a great team here at Downtown Visions and I am proud of the men and women who care about our community, together, we are showing the world what a great city looks like.

Marty

Anyone who knows the work Downtown Visions does is acquainted with the multiple hats worn by Will Minster - and he's just added another hat to his collection!

Will is Director of Business Development for Downtown Visions and full-time Program Manager for Main Street Wilmington, a division of Downtown Visions. Now he has joined Patterson-Woods Commercial Properties/CORFAC International as a licensed real estate agent. With this dual role, he will be adding professional skills and resources needed to concentrate on small business recruitment and investment in the Downtown Business District.

We harnessed Will’s decades of experience as both a business owner and champion for downtown, and our Main Street initiatives have been incredibly successful. Since 2011, the Main Street Program has awarded 47 grants for building renovations, 50 grants for new signs or awnings and the removal of 26 roll down security gates. Minster has worked one-on-one with business leaders in the Central Business District to facilitate collaboration and participation in the mission of the downtown revitalization. 

Downtown Wilmington has changed dramatically over the last decade with new apartments, businesses, and co-working spaces. We are especially pleased to see innovative spaces like The Mill Space, 1313 Innovation, Start It Up Delaware and Factory Berlin. The tech and start up communities are bringing incredible energy to our downtown, as are the new residents. With this increase in activity, the focus has been placed on the retail mix and amenities that are needed to support the growing community.   

• Site location for new businesses
• Retail recruitment and retention
• Market Analysis
• Business consultation, connecting businesses to resources
• Business Transition Strategies
• Engaging the broader real estate community
• Property Development

Exciting things are continuing to happen here in Downtown Wilmington!

Marty

Ideas!

What if you could hear from nine of the area's business leaders at one time?

That opportunity is coming on Wednesday morning, when the Delaware Business Times holds 90 ideas in 90 minutes, where nine business leaders will share their best practices, philosophies, and programs, all over breakfast.

Click Here to learn more and get your tickets.

Downtown Wilmington, where good ideas are discussed and good things happen.

Marty

How to help one of our Downtown Entrepreneurs...

One of our entrepreneurs in Downtown Wilmington just received exciting news - Cherné of Cherné Altovise has been accepted into a program called Mastered: Accessories in London!

But, she needs our help - I encourage you to Click Here to learn more about the program and how you can help one of our creative and unique entrepreneurs take advantage of this great opportunity.

Marty