As Holiday Crowds Return, Alabama’s Main Street Cities See a Different Kind of Downtown Revival
Holiday shopping crowds are filling Alabama’s downtowns once again — but in many communities, this year feels different. Storefronts are brighter. Foot traffic is heavier. Vacant buildings have new life. And for cities like Leeds, Anniston, and Calera, the change is the result of years of work through Main Street Alabama, a program now active in 34 designated communities across the state.
- Alexander City
- Anniston
- Athens
- Birmingham’s Woodlawn District
- Birmingham’s Historic 4th Avenue Business District
- Calera
- Centreville
- Columbiana
- Decatur
- Demopolis
- Elba
- Enterprise
- Eufaula
- Florence
- Foley
- Fort Payne
- Gadsden
- Heflin
- Jasper
- LaFayette
- Leeds
- Madison
- Marion
- Monroeville
- Montevallo
- Montgomery
- Opelika
- Oxford
- Russellville
- Scottsboro
- South Huntsville
- Talladega
- Wetumpka
A Statewide Shift Back to Local Downtowns
Main Street Alabama President and State Coordinator Mary Helmer Wirth says the trend is clear: people are rediscovering the value of walkable, historic districts…