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Mainspring MeetUp 2025 Recap

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Mainspring MeetUp 2025 Recap

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Christine Myers

Interested in hearing about Mainspring's plans for the future of Ephrata?

Every January, Mainspring of Ephrata invites all those who live, work, or volunteer in the Borough of Ephrata to hear about our year in review, the plans for the future, and how our community can get involved. Read the summary and view the Mainspring MeetUp 2025 presentation below.

From Vision to Reality: Mainspring MeetUp Outlines the Journey and Its Impact

Missed the Mainspring Meetup? Here’s a brief synopsis of what we shared.
Ephrata’s downtown revitalization efforts have reached a significant milestone with Mainspring of Ephrata’s designation as an Accredited Main Street America program. This prestigious recognition, coupled with our PA Main Street Matters (formerly Keystone Communities) designation, positions our historic borough for unprecedented economic growth and community development opportunities.

The impact of Mainspring’s work is tangible and measurable. In the past year alone, our programs have generated over $435,215 in value for the community, with an additional $38,412 in marketing initiatives and $41,796 in volunteer contributions, totaling an impressive $518,563 in community investment. It’s important to note that 100% of this total is raised. That’s over half a million dollars of grants, sponsorships, and donations poured into our downtown revitalization efforts.

Our collaborative partnerships span over 40 organizations, including:

  • Educational institutions like Ephrata High School and Cocalico High School
  • Financial partners such as Ephrata National Bank, Fulton Bank, and M&T Bank
  • Media outlets including Blue Ridge Communications, WGAL, Fox 43, and the Ephrata Review
  • Healthcare partners like WellSpan and The Groves Assisted Living
  • Community organizations such as the Denver/Ephrata Rotary Club and Lancaster Bicycle Club

The dual designations aren’t just titles – they’re powerful economic revitalization assets  that provide Ephrata with strategic advantages in our revitalization journey. Through the Main Street America program, Mainspring gains priority access to essential funding opportunities and resources that directly support our economic development initiatives. This includes specialized training, planning assistance, and exclusive opportunities that wouldn’t otherwise be available to our community.

Our downtown business district showcases impressive metrics:

  • Over 120 businesses in the designated area
  • 16.67% ethnic-owned businesses, reflecting our growing diversity
  • Competitive lease rates well- below market average
  • Minimal vacancies and little blight
  • Strong “Shop Small, Not Sprawl” initiative success

At the heart of our approach is the proven Main Street Four Point Approach™, a comprehensive framework that addresses key aspects of community revitalization:

  • Organization (Sustainability): Ensuring long-term viability of our development initiatives
  • Design (Physical Development): Enhancing our downtown’s historic character and functionality
  • Economic Restructuring (Business Development): Strengthening our local business ecosystem
  • Promotion (Community & Events): Building vibrant community engagement

The strategic focus on Main Street over the next five years aligns with our three primary goals:

  1. Making the Borough of Ephrata a Recreation Destination
  2. Branding Downtown Ephrata as “the Place To Be” Through Historic Preservation, Increased Vibrancy, and Increased Tourism
  3. Creating a Safe, Clean and Green Downtown, and Increasing Community Engagement

Our success stories include:

  • Historic preservation initiatives valued at over $131,000
  • Physical development projects including the $50,000 enhanced façade program
  • Community events generating significant business impact, with local business owners reporting record sales during activities like the Tree Lighting
  • Tourism development investments exceeding $17,000

Local businesses are seeing direct benefits. As Ryan Foltz, co-owner of Pour Man’s Brewery, notes: “Pour Man’s consistently experiences an uptick in business when there are events hosted by Mainspring downtown. The first Saturday events during the Summer typically are some of the busiest days of the summer for us.”

Our selection for Governor Shapiro’s Main Street Matters program tour demonstrates the heightened visibility and opportunities these designations bring to our community.

Economic development requires both vision and patience. As we work to attract entrepreneurs and investors to transform conceptual plans into reality,  we maintain the historic character that makes Ephrata unique while building a robust, sustainable economic future.Through these strategic partnerships and focused initiatives, Mainspring of Ephrata is laying the groundwork for transformative economic development. Our accreditation and designations provide the framework, resources, and support needed to turn our community’s vision into reality.

As we move forward, we invite businesses, residents, and stakeholders to join us in this journey of creating a vibrant, prosperous downtown that will serve as the cornerstone of Ephrata’s economic future.