What Housing Do We Need for the Future?

Residents can help plan for the future of housing in our region by coming to an open house and giving their input on the housing challenges they face and housing they'd like for their community and the region.

Residents and business people are invited to attend a Regional Housing Needs Study drop-in open house on August 26, 2013, 4-7 p.m. Lincoln County Senior Center, Lincolnton, as part of the "CONNECT Our Future" project.

The CONNECT Our Future Regional Housing Needs study is a critical opportunity for people of our 14-county region to work together and create a Comprehensive Regional Housing Strategy to meet current and future needs as our region grows. Planning ahead for the future and the growth that's coming can help address questions everyone faces now, such as:

Ø  How do we supply adequate and appropriate housing for our future workforce, for people to age in place and for our growing population?

Ø  How can we ensure housing is located near to jobs, schools and transportation?

Ø  How do we identify and remove barriers to fair housing for under-represented groups?

The Regional Housing Needs Study open house will give people a chance to learn more about preliminary findings on housing needs as well as provide their input on their housing challenges and preferences.  The feedback will be incorporated into the final findings of the housing needs study and a housing strategy for the region.

The drop-in open house is staffed, will have board exhibits and stations, and people can ask questions, provide input, and are free to come and go as they choose during the open house time period.

The Regional Housing Needs open house is one of seven taking place during July and August and being held throughout the 14-county region.

CONNECT Our Future is a three-year project to develop a regional framework to address the projected growth of the region and address the current and future challenges facing communities. The 14-county project region which includes: Anson, Cabarrus, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly and Union Counties in North Carolina, and Chester, Lancaster, Union and York Counties in South Carolina.

In the past decade, the region surrounding Charlotte has emerged as America’s fastest growing region of any area with a population greater than 1 million people. Within 20 years, the population is expected to grow by 50 percent, and double by 2050, meaning the addition of nearly 2 million people to the region.

The region is also one of the largest in the nation without a framework for growth. The growth framework will help to ensure the region can match growth with good quality jobs, necessary transportation, quality housing that is affordable, clean water, improved air quality and other social and physical infrastructure improvements.

Because residents throughout the region drive the same network of roads, breathe the same air and drink from the same water sources, the collaboration of communities working together across local boundaries can help to plan for healthy growth and avoid the negative consequences of growth.

The three-year planning process to build a regional framework is funded by a U.S. Housing and Urban Development federal grant. The framework will be built on existing community plans, public engagement, and local values. The framework will contain policies, strategies and tools for voluntary use and adoption by local governments, and will also create a network of relationships across the region to address the challenges faced by individual communities and the region as a whole.

The Centralina Council of Governments (CCOG), which was the grant recipient on behalf of the CONNECT member local governments and organizations, and the Catawba Regional Council of Governments (CRCOG), is helping to coordinate, facilitate and staff the process. To learn more about this initiative, visit www.ConnectOurFuture.org.

August 2013 First Friday Coffee & Conversation

First Friday Coffee and Conversation (FFCC) is Friday morning at 8am at the Lincoln Cultural Center.

If you have suggestions or ideas concerning downtown programs or events come share your ideas.

Designed to be a small informal discussion group to give downtown business and property owners and interested citizens the chance to express their opinions, make suggestions and ask questions about downtown and the community in general. FFCC encourages social interaction among citizens and builds community.

The idea for the Coffee and Conversation series is rooted in the community planning concept of “Third Places” popularized by Ray Oldenburg in his Book--The Great Good Place. The “first place’ is the home and the people one lives with. The ‘second place’ is the work place where everyone spends most of their time. Third places are meeting places such as cafes or coffee houses the ‘anchors’ of community life that facilitate and foster creative interaction and are welcoming and comfortable.

A community's well-being is dependent on the quality of relationships among the citizens of that community. Infrastructure, roads, water, sewer, electricity and housing provides the shell within which people live. It is within this shell that people do the things together that allow them to sustain livelihoods. These include but are not limited to education, health care, business, recreation, and spiritual celebration. People working together with shared understandings and expectations are what provide a place of strong community.

You're invited to this uniquely local experience. Each month a business or community leader will be invited to participate in the conversation. There are no formal presentations or programs. The topics for discussion will be focused on whatever interests those that attend. Coffee and Refreshments are provided.  You bring the conversation.

Congratulations to our Downtown Dream Date winner, Brent Heavner!

Brent entered his name into the drawing at Hi-Lites in downtown Lincolnton.

His prize includes a dinner for two at Court Street Grille, flowers from Drum's Florist, Massage certificates from Sara Jones along with a gift basket full of items from some of our downtown businesses, including: Color Me Pretty, Stylin' On Main, King's Office Supply, Hi-Lites, Lizzie Lu's, Stroup's Jewelers, and House of Trophies and Classic Art & Framing.

Thank you to all who participated!

 Happy Valentine's Day from The Downtown Development Association of Lincolnton!

Bi-Lo Receives Polished Apple

Local Grocer Receives Polished Apple Award

 

Lincolnton, NC— Bi-Lo received the City of Lincolnton Polished Apple Award for the renovation of their facility at 427 N Generals Boulevard at 10 a.m. today. City of Lincolnton Mayor, John Gilleland, presented the award to store manager, Sterling Davis.

 

The Polished Apple Award is a city-wide recognition program established to recognize and encourage positive community design improvements in the City of Lincolnton. A program of the City of Lincolnton’s Business and Community Development Department, award recipients are selected by a volunteer citizen group and are determined based on the established program criteria.

 

“The award recognizes business and property owners that exemplify community pride by exceptional upkeep and improvements to their properties,” said Brad Guth, Business and Community Development Director. “We want folks to take pride in the appearance of our community and give recognition to those that make exemplary efforts to do so.”

 

The review committee meets on a regular basis to review applications and nominations. A property owner may apply or a noteworthy improvement project may be nominated to receive the award. For more information on the Polished Apple Award, contact the City of Lincolnton Business and Community Development department at 704-736-8915.

 

Why limit yourself to one ‘big box’ when you can Give the Gift of Lincolnton?

Holiday Products and Services Buying Guide

These…(and more) are available downtown with

Jingle Bucks Gift Certificates

Antiques, Art, Apples, Art Glass, Apparel, Alterations, Accounting
Bicycles, Books, Beer, Blouses, Bonds, Blueprints, Baseball Caps, Beauty products, Belts, Bracelets, Brakes, Batteries, Briefcases, Business Cards, Bookkeeping
Coffee, Clocks, Clothes, Candy, Chairs, Chocolates, Coins, Chiropractic, Community Concerts, Candles, Cards
Dance Lessons, Doughnuts, Dental Work, Donations, Dresses, Delivery, Dream Dates
Education, Engraving, Exercise, Entertainment, Exhaust systems
Flowers, Fishing supplies, Frames, Fabric, Fireplace Inserts, French Fries, Furniture
Gas, Graphic Design, Grooming, Grills, Golf Shirts, Gift Certificates, Gold, Gift Baskets
Haircuts, HVAC systems, Home Décor, Handbags, Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Hearing Aids
Ice Cream, Insurance, Inspections, Investments, Industrial Supplies
Jewelry, Jackets, Juice, Jeans,
Karate, Knick Knacks, Knifes, Knobs, Knowledge
Lunch, Lettuce, Legal Aid, Lincoln Landmark Miniatures, Lollipops, Library Fines, Lipstick,
Muffins, Mufflers, Massage, Mutual Funds, Makeup, Manicures, Music Concerts
Necklaces, Newspapers, Notebooks, Nail Polish
Office Supplies, Office Space, Ottomans, Offering, Ornaments
Pottery, Pastry, Pizza, PCs. Printing, Piano Lessons, Permits, Pools, Pasta, Plants, Painted Pots, Physician Visits, Psychologist Visits, Pocketbooks, Pants, Paper, Photography, Portraits, Parade Entries
Quality…
Roses, Ribbons, Rings, Repairs, Roller Covers, Real Estate
Supper, Stamps, Stocks, Soft Drinks, Signs, Shampoo, Shirts, Scrapbooks, Scissors, Shoes
Tires, Trophies, T-Shirts, Tithes, Tax filing, Tuxedos, Tables, Tea, Theater Tickets
Utility Bills
Vacuums, Violin Lessons, Vegetables, Variances, Valances
Wine, Wheels, Washes, Watches, Water Filters, Wills, Wreaths
Xerox,
Yogurt, Yuengling
Zumba

DDA Recognizes Entreprenurial Success with 2012 Milestone Awards

The Downtown Development Association recognizes businesses in downtown for their entrepreneurial success at five year intervals. Often great attention is given to the attraction of new business to a community neglecting the contribution and support existing businesses make to the local economy and community.

The Main Street Milestone Award acknowledges the significant contributions these small businesses make to create local jobs, increase the local tax base and improve the quality of life for local residents. It highlights and celebrates the individual entrepreneurial success stories that make Lincolnton such a great place to live, work, play and belong.

The following Businesses were recognized during the intermission on Thursday, September 27 at the Buddy Stasney's Alive After Five summer concert series finale.

 

§         Stroup’s Jewelers – 60 Years

§         City Lunch – 55 Years

§         Pendleton, Pendleton & Deaton – 55 Years

§         First Citizens Bank – 50 Years

§         Sherrill, Blake & Harrison CPA PA – 40 Years

§         Katie Wood, Inc. – 30 Years

§         Vincent Hair Studio – 25 Years

§         Rising Sun Pottery – 15 Years

§         Kate McCall – 10 Years

§         Color Me Pretty – 5 Years

§         Freedom on the Square – 5 Years

§         Heavenly Paws Grooming – 5 Years

§         Personal Home Care of North Carolina – 5 Years

 

Shelly from Personal Home Care of NC accepts award from DDA Boad Chair, Osama Yousef.

Sheila from Katie Wood, Inc. accepts award from DDA Boad Chair, Osama Yousef.

Brian from City Lunch accepts award from DDA Boad Chair, Osama Yousef.

Brooke, Cindy & Dana from Sherrill, Blake & Harrison CPA PA accept award

from DDA Boad Chair, Osama Yousef.

 

Celebrate Your Independents: Independents Days July 1-14

Independents Days is a time to recognize Lincolnton’s local independent businesses. It is a celebration of local entrepreneurship and the solid foundation these small businesses provide the local economy. Join in the fun by participating in our Shop Local Challenge, Scavenger Hunt, Window Decorating Contest, and Cash Mob.

Shop Local Challenge
Shop at any locally owned independent business and get a chance to win $100. Keep your receipts and turn them in at the City of Lincolnton Business and Community Development Office on or before July 14th to enter. 


Find Your Independents Scavenger Hunt
While you’re shopping locally owned independent businesses, pick up a Find Your Independents game card at participating businesses and find all 'scavenger hunt' items for a chance to win a bunch of cool prizes. 


July 4th Window Decorating Contest
Local independent businesses will be decorating their store front windows with a patriotic theme for the City of Lincolnton's July 4th celebration. While the City of Lincolnton July 4th Celebration organizers judge the windows, feel free to share your compliments with the businesses on their windows.


Cash Mob
Lastly, be sure you come out on Saturday, July 7th at 11:00am to the City of Lincolnton Business & Community Development Office at 114 East Main Street. Citizens will assemble for a reading of the Declaration of Independents Mayoral Proclamation and revelation of the local business that will be 'mobbed.' Then the cash mobster will spend $10 or more at the selected business.


For more details on each of these events contact Events and Marketing Specialist Intern Ivana Baric at the Downtown Development Association of Lincolnton.

So don't hesitate, celebrate locally owned independent businesses July 1st-14th by taking part in our many festivites that are sure to be fun for all!

March First Friday Coffee and Conversation to Discuss Downtown Events

First Friday Coffee and Conversation (FFCC) is Friday morning at 8am at Court Street Grille (Special Location) We have invited all the volunteer representives responsible for the various downtown special events to be with us. If you have suggestions or ideas concerning Alive After Five, Apple Festival, Art Crawl, Hog Happenin' Lovable Lincolnton Wine & Art Fest or any other downtown event come share your ideas.

Designed to be a small informal discussion group to give downtown business and property owners and interested citizens the chance to express their opinions, make suggestions and ask questions about downtown and the community in general. FFCC encourages social interaction among citizens and builds community.

The idea for the Coffee and Conversation series is rooted in the community planning concept of “Third Places” popularized by Ray Oldenburg in his Book--The Great Good Place. The “first place’ is the home and the people one lives with. The ‘second place’ is the work place where everyone spends most of their time. Third places are meeting places such as cafes or coffee houses the ‘anchors’ of community life that facilitate and foster creative interaction and are welcoming and comfortable.

A community's well-being is dependent on the quality of relationships among the citizens of that community. Infrastructure, roads, water, sewer, electricity and housing provides the shell within which people live. It is within this shell that people do the things together that allow them to sustain livelihoods. These include but are not limited to education, health care, business, recreation, and spiritual celebration. People working together with shared understandings and expectations are what provide a place of strong community.

You're invited to this uniquely local experience. Each month a business or community leader will be invited to participate in the conversation. There are no formal presentations or programs. The topics for discussion will be focused on whatever interests those that attend. The event is BYOC--That's Buy Your Own Coffee.

Lovable Lincolnton Possibility Tour

Stop 1:

Court Square Stadium 10 Cinemas

A new movie theater with ten screens and stadium seating could be the newest coming attraction to the Court Square in Lincolnton. The multi-million dollar project could go up on what is now the parking lot for the Citizens’ center. Not only will it fill a hole left by the loss of the Historic North State Hotel but it will also energize downtown Lincolnton at night for restaurants and other businesses. A movie theater will be a huge catalyst for after-hours activity downtown.

And the use of this state of the art facility won’t be limited to just ‘coming attractions’ at night. It could also function as a meeting facility during the day hosting public and private clients that require breakout rooms for conference sessions and/or presentations. New food service facilities would complement the new meeting space and enhance and expand the use of the existing James Warren Citizens Center auditorium.

Don’t fret about where to park. New public parking areas will be included in the project. Built adjacent to the theater on the Water Street block between Government and High Streets, the new parking area will be easily accessible for daytime use as well as for moviegoers and will accommodate existing and additional vehicles.

The elaborately decorated art deco architecture of the new building will harken back to the days of the grand classically-styled movie palaces of the 1920s and 30s that ‘made the average citizen feel like royalty’ and yet with a nod to the simpler stylings of the curve on the Beaux Arts Reinhardt building across the street, the new theater will complement and fit in with the existing architecture downtown.

This is a sneak peek of the exciting possibilities that exist downtown…Soon six more stops on the Lovable Lincolnton Possibilities tour will be revealed.

Why limit yourself to one ‘big box’ when you can Give the Gift of Lincolnton?

Holiday Products and Services Buying Guide
These…(and more) are available downtown with

Jingle Bucks Gift Certificates

Antiques, Art, Apples, Art Glass, Apparel, Alterations, Accounting
Bicycles, Books, Beer, Blouses, Bonds, Blueprints, Baseball Caps, Beauty products, Belts, Bracelets, Brakes, Batteries, Briefcases, Business Cards, Bookkeeping
Coffee, Clocks, Cream Horns, Cakes, Clothes, Candy, Chairs, Chocolates, Coins, Chiropractic, Community Concerts, Candles, Cards
Dance Lessons, Doughnuts, Dental Work, Donations, Dresses, Delivery, Dream Dates
Education, Engraving, Exercise, Entertainment, Exhaust systems, Elections
(Ok so you really can’t buy elections with Jingle Bucks but the elections office is downtown)
Flowers, Fishing supplies, Frames, Fabric, Fire Hose, Fireplace Inserts, French Fries, Furniture
Gas, Graphic Design, Grooming, Grills, Golf Shirts, Gift Certificates, Gold, Gift Baskets
Haircuts, HVAC systems, Home Décor, Handbags, Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, Hearing Aids
Ice Cream, Insurance, Inspections, Investments, Industrial Supplies
Jewelry, Jackets, Juice, Jeans,
Karate, Knick Knacks, Knifes, Knobs, Knowledge
Lunch, Lettuce, Legal Aid, Lincoln Landmark Miniatures, Lollipops, Library Fines, Lipstick,
Muffins, Mufflers, Massage, Mutual Funds, Makeup, Manicures, Music Concerts
Necklaces, Newspapers, Notebooks, Nail Polish
Office Supplies, Office Space, Ottomans, Offering, Ornaments
Pottery, Pastry, Pizza, PCs. Printing, Piano Lessons, Permits, Pools, Pasta, Plants, Painted Pots, Physician Visits, Psychologist Visits, Pocketbooks, Pants, Paper, Photography, Portraits, Parade Entries
Quality…
Roses, Ribbons, Rings, Repairs, Roller Covers, Reubens, Real Estate
Supper, Stamps, Stocks, Soft Drinks, Signs, Shampoo, Shirts, Scrapbooks, Scissors, Shoes
Tires, Trophies, T-Shirts, Tithes, Tax filing, Tuxedos, Tables, Tea, Theater Tickets
Utility Bills
Vacuums, Violin Lessons, Vegetables, Variances, Valances
Wine, Wheels, Washes, Watches, Water Filters, Wills, Wreaths
Xerox,
Yogurt, Yuengling
Zumba

First United Methodist Church Receives Polished Apple Award

Lincolnton, NC—First United Methodist Church recently received the City of Lincolnton Polished Apple Award for the renovation of their building at 201 East Main Street. John Gilleland, City of Lincolnton Mayor presented the award to the Rev. David Wyant.

"We are extremely happy to present First United Methodist Church with the City of Lincolnton Polished Apple Award," said Jason Harpe, Polished Apple Award Chairperson. "The rehabilitated building and restored stained glass windows is most deserving of this award and we commend First Methodist for their work."

The Polished Apple Award is a city-wide recognition program established to recognize and encourage positive community design improvements in the City of Lincolnton. A program of the City of Lincolnton’s Business and Community Development Department, award recipients are selected by a volunteer citizen group and are determined based on the established program criteria.

“The award recognizes business and property owners that exemplify community pride by exceptional upkeep and improvements to their properties,” said Brad Guth, Business and Community Development Director. “We want folks to take pride in the appearance of our community and give recognition to those that make exemplary efforts to do so.”

The review committee meets on a regular basis to review applications and nominations. A property owner may apply or a noteworthy improvement project may be nominated to receive the award. For more information on the Polished Apple Award, contact the City of Lincolnton Business and Community Development department at 704-736-8915.

Rhyne Financial 8k Run 4k Walk

Rhyne Financial 8k Run 4k Walk

Benefiting: The Lincoln County Public Education Foundation
Date: Saturday, October 22, 2011
Time: 9:00 am
Place: Rhyne Financial-218 West Main St., Lincolnton, NC
Distance: 8k Run/4k Walk

The Rhyne Financial 8k Run/4k Walk will benefit The Lincoln County Public Education Foundation. The purpose of the foundation is to:

• provide leadership ability and other support for extended educational opportunities


• to build an endowment fund as a perpetual source of support for educational opportunites, in particular the implementation of technology in the classroom


• to fund, through the endowment, creative and innovative grant requests from local teachers


• and to foster a community-school partnership in perserving, maintaining, and improving public education in Lincoln County.

Click Here to Learn More About The Lincoln County Public Education Foundation

Description: All races will be held on Saturday, October 22nd, 2011. The start time for both the 8k Run and 4k Walk is 9:00 am.

8k Run Course:

The run course begins and ends on Sycamore Street behind Rhyne Financial. The 8k run is a challenging one lap course throughout scenic Lincolnton, the Marcia H. Cloninger Rail Trail and many beautiful neighborhoods.

View 8k Run Course Here

Sign up for the Adult 8k Run Here: http://www.racingtoes.com/products/Rhyne-Financial-8k-Run%252dAdult-Sign-Up-.html

Sign up for the Student 8k Run Here: http://www.racingtoes.com/products/Rhyne-Financial-8k-Run%252dStudent-Sign-Up-.html

4k Walk Course:

The walk course begins and ends on Sycamore Street behind Rhyne Financial. The 4k walk is a one lap course throughout scenic Lincolnton, the Marcia H. Clonginer Rail Trail. The 4k walk follows some of the 8k run course, but cuts off for a different ending route, but still ends at the same finish line as the 8k run course.

View 4k Walk Course Here

Sign up for the 4k Walk Here: http://www.racingtoes.com/products/Rhyne-Financial-4k-Walk-Sign-Up-.html

Parking: Race day parking available at The Citizens Center, Emmanuel Lutheran Church and First Presbyterian Church.

Pricing:
Race Entry Fees

Early/Race Day

Adult 8k Only
$20/ $25
Student 8k
$15/$25

4k Walk (all entrants)
$20/$25

Entry Fees are non-refundable and must be received by October 14th, 2011. Early registration guarantees event T-shirt. Online Registration will require a $2.95 processing fee which is calculated at checkout.

Printable Registration Form
*All participants receive a long-sleeve T-shirt and goodie bag*There will be Pre & Post Race entertainment & refreshments*Early Registration-deadline Friday, October 14th, 2011

If mailing in your registration form, please make checks payable to: Lincoln County Public Education Foundation

By Mail Submit Entry Form and Registration Fee to:

Rhyne Financial

PO Box 615

Lincolnton, NC 28093

Or you can deliver to Rhyne Financial located at 218 West Main Street, Lincolnton.

Timing System:

The 8k Run will be manually timed. The 4k Walk will NOT be a timed event.

Packet Pick-up:

1) Friday, October 21, 2011 from 5-6:30pm at Rhyne Financial2) Saturday, October 22, 2011 from 7-8:45am at Rhyne Financial. Race begins at 9:00am. All participants must have registered and received their race number by 8:45am.

Age Divisions:

8k Run

There will be an overall male and female winner for the 8k.
1st, 2nd, and 3rd place award for each age group
14 and under; 15-19; 20-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60-64; 65-69; 70-74; 75-79; 80 & over


Affiliated Charities:

This event benefits The Lincoln County Public Education Foundation.

Sponsorship Opportunities:

$100 donation-name will be listed on the back of the event T-shirt. Call Rhyne Financial if interested in Sponsorship at 704-736-0388

http://www.racingtoes.com/pages/Rhyne-Financial-8k-Run-4k-Walk.html

October Coffee & Conversation Topics

Thanks to Mayor Gilleland for being our guest at Coffee & Conversation in October!

Topics included: Ingles grocery store development; Former Wal-mart building; Satellite police station location alternatives; County office relocation and possible alternatives to keep all offices downtown; Communications/dispelling rumors; Tourism development; Catawba Valley Pottery Center and the possibilities of a new downtown movie theater.

Mark Your Calendars for Next month’s Coffee and Conversation Friday, November 4th. 36th Street Bakery 8am. Suggestions for our next guest in November are welcome.

October marks the first anniversary of coffee and conversation. Designed to be a small informal discussion group to give downtown business and property owners and interested citizens the chance to express their opinions, make suggestions and ask questions about downtown and the community in general. It has grown to be an essential part of the Downtown Development Association’s business retention and expansion efforts.

It has provided an opportunity for DDA staff and volunteers to learn about the local business community’s perception of Lincolnton and the advantages and disadvantages of operating a business here. We have learned about the needs of specific businesses and been able to respond to those needs.

Around 65 to 80 percent of new jobs are created by existing businesses in a community rather than by those that relocate to a community. Existing businesses are already ‘citizens’ of the community. They employ people who live in the area and purchase goods and services from other businesses in the community.

Coffee and Conversation has provided another informal opportunity for DDA staff and volunteers to communicate with the business community and expand its reputation for caring about local businesses and their success.

First Friday Coffee & Conversation with Mayor John Gilleland

First Friday Coffee and Conversation (FFCC) is this Friday morning at 8am at 36th Street Bakery & Cafe. Our guest is John Gilleland, Mayor City of Lincolnton. Come share your ideas for the City of Lincolnton.

Designed to be a small informal discussion group to give downtown business and property owners and interested citizens the chance to express their opinions, make suggestions and ask questions about downtown and the community in general. FFCC encourages social interaction among citizens and builds community.

The idea for the Coffee and Conversation series is rooted in the community planning concept of “Third Places” popularized by Ray Oldenburg in his Book--The Great Good Place. The “first place’ is the home and the people one lives with. The ‘second place’ is the work place where everyone spends most of their time. Third places are meeting places such as cafes or coffee houses the ‘anchors’ of community life that facilitate and foster creative interaction and are welcoming and comfortable.

A community's well-being is dependent on the quality of relationships among the citizens of that community. Infrastructure, roads, water, sewer, electricity and housing provides the shell within which people live. It is within this shell that people do the things together that allow them to sustain livelihoods. These include but are not limited to education, health care, business, recreation, and spiritual celebration. People working together with shared understandings and expectations are what provide a place of strong community.

You're invited to this uniquely local experience. Each month a business or community leader will be invited to participate in the conversation. There are no formal presentations or programs. The topics for discussion will be focused on whatever interests those that attend. The event is BYOC--That's Buy Your Own Coffee.

Good Life Delights Opens on Court Square

The Downtown Development Association of Lincolnton is pleased to announce that ice cream is available again in downtown Lincolnton. Good Life Delights Ice Cream & Frozen Yogurt has opened in downtown Lincolnton.

Good Life Delights specializes in making people smile with a variety flavors of Pet ice cream and frozen yogurt. It is a small shop with only a few seats including a counter overlooking the sidewalk that provides an excellent spot to watch all the activity on the Square. There are also a few seats outside on the sidewalk.

Good Life Delights is owned by Mark Derr and has four employees including his twin sons Kyle and Cale. Each are managers of the scoop shop. They are all looking forward to getting involved in the Lincolnton community.

Derr owns the only bail bonds business downtown which is located next door. With Good Life Delights, he has found another business niche that was underserved in Lincolnton.

“There just wasn’t a place to get ice cream in downtown Lincolnton, said Derr. “I had heard that the ice cream shop across the square did a good business before it moved so I figured it was a good opportunity.”

“Downtown is an ideal location for the business with a lot of pedestrian traffic and one of Lincolnton’s busiest restaurants next door,” said Brad Guth, Business & Community Development Director for the City of Lincolnton. “There is easy access, easy parking and great visibility in the heart of Lincolnton.”

Based on the success of only a few days, Good Life Delights is already exploring expansion plans from adding packaged ice cream sales to a birthday room and even door to door delivery in downtown. Craving a milkshake but can’t get away from your desk? Good Life Delights Mobile comes to the rescue.

The Lincolnton Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a Grand Opening for Good Life Delights Tuesday, September 15 at 10:30am. In the meantime stop by the shop and check it out for yourself.

For more information on Good Life Delights, contact them directly at 704-732-3543 or stop by the shop at 107 West Court Square from 11am to 9pm Monday through Saturday.

For more information on other business opportunities in downtown Lincolnton, please contact Brad J Guth at the Downtown Development Association at 704-736-8915 or visit www.downtownlincolnton.org

The Downtown Development Association Recognizes Entreprenurial Success Stories with 2011 Main Street Milestone Awards

Each year the Downtown Development Association recognizes businesses in downtown for their entrepreneurial success at five year intervals. Downtown Lincolnton has the highest concentration of locally-owned independent businesses in Lincoln County. Small businesses are the leading job creators and employers in Lincolnton as well as the state and country. Often great attention is given to the attraction of new business to a community neglecting the contribution and support existing businesses make to the local economy and community.

The Main Street Milestone Award acknowledges the significant contributions these small businesses make to create local jobs, increase the local tax base and improve the quality of life for local residents. It highlights and celebrates the individual entrepreneurial success stories that make Lincolnton such a great place to live, work, play and belong.

The following Businesses will be recognized Friday August 26th at the Downtown Development Associations annual awards program during the intermission at the Fourth Friday Alive After Five Concert.

2006 5 Year Milestone
My Treasures
Helms Security

2001 10 Year Milestone
Nachamie & Whitley
Shear Options

1996 15 Year Milestone
Aeros Electrolux
Clocks and Collectibles
Fausto Coffee
Hi-Lites
Lincoln Insurance Agency
Rhyne Financial

1986 25 Year Milestone
A Cut Above
Edward Jones Investments
John Lassiter DDS
Williams Design

1981 30 Year Milestone
Hoyle Services
Lewis & Shuford

1976 35 Year Milestone
Merican Muffler

1971 40 Year Milestone
Clark Properties

1966 45 Year Milestone
Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio

1946 65 Year Milestone
Lincolnton/Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce

1936 75 Year Milestone
EF Drum Funeral Home

For additional information on the Main Street Milestone Awards contact the Downtown Development Association at 704-736-8915

City of Lincolnton Receives 2011 National Trust Main Street Accreditation

The City of Lincolnton has been designated as an accredited National Main Street Community for meeting the downtown revitalization performance standards set by the National Trust Main Street Center.

"We congratulate Lincolnton for meeting our established performance standards," says Doug Loescher, director of the National Trust Main Street Center. "Lincolnton is meeting the challenges of the recession head on and is successfully using a focused comprehensive revitalization strategy to keep downtown Lincolnton vibrant and sustainable."

Over $26 million has been invested in downtown Lincolnton since being recognized as a Main Street Community 15 years ago. On balance that is over $1.5 million each year and just under $2,500 per capita using 2010 census numbers. Vital economic statistics also include 37 facade renovations, 30 building renovations, 271 Net New Jobs, and 89 Net New Small Businesses.

The organization's performance is annually evaluated by the NC Department of Commerce, which works in partnership with the National Trust Main Street Center to indentify the local programs that meet performance standards.

Lincolnton has been recognized as National Main Street Community each year since 1999.

First Friday Coffee & Conversation this Friday Aug 5th with new Arts Council President Tina Guffey

First Friday Coffee and Conversation (FFCC) is this Friday morning at at 8am at 36th Street Bakery & Cafe. Our guest is Tina Guffey the new Board President of the Arts Council of Lincoln County. Come share your thoughts on the arts in Lincoln County and learn about the upcoming initiatives the Arts Council has planned.

Designed to be a small informal discussion group to give downtown business and property owners and interested citizens the chance to express their opinions, make suggestions and ask questions about downtown and the community in general. The series encourages social interaction among citizens and builds community.

The idea for the Coffee and Conversation series is rooted in the community planning concept of “Third Places” popularized by Ray Oldenburg in his Book--The Great Good Place. The “first place’ is the home and the people one lives with. The ‘second place’ is the work place where everyone spends most of their time. Third places are meeting places such as cafes or coffee houses the ‘anchors’ of community life that facilitate and foster creative interaction and are welcoming and comfortable.

A community's well-being is dependent on the quality of relationships among the citizens of that community. Infrastructure, roads, water, sewer, electricity and housing provides the shell within which people live. It is within this shell that people do the things together that allow them to sustain livelihoods. These include but are not limited to education, health care, business, recreation, and spiritual celebration. People working together with shared understandings and expectations are what provide a place of strong community.

You are invited to this uniquely local experience. Each month a business or community leader participates in the conversation. There are no formal presentations or programs. The topics for discussion will be focused on whatever interests those that attend. The event is BYOC--That's Buy Your Own Coffee.

Downtown Businesses Decorate Storefront Windows To Celebrate Their Independents

Watson's Insurance had the winning window. The window was painted by employee Michelle Diciuccio and her daughter Laurel Diciuccio {a Jr. at Maiden High School}

Local business owners in downtown Lincolnton showed off their artistic skills as they celebrated the 4^th of July by painting the downtown in red, white & blue. The Downtown Development Association {DDA} once again sponsored the 4^th of July Window Decorating Contest, where local, independent businesses were encouraged to decorate their storefront windows with a patriotic theme. The participating businesses had the chance to win one of four cash prizes: 1^st place will receive $100, 2^nd Place $75, 3^rd Place $50 and 4^th Place $25.

The 4^th of July Committee, who is responsible for the judging of the windows, had their work cut out for them this year! While many downtown businesses decorated their storefronts, the twelve businesses that participated in the contest, amazed citizens away with their creativity. The winners were announced as follows:

1^st Place - Watson’s Insurance

2^nd Place - 36^th Street Bakery & Café

3^rd Place - Glamorous Productions

4^th Place - Main Street Café

Honorable Mention-Estate Jewelers & Treasure’s On Main

The 4th of July Window Decorating Contest is a part of the DDA’s award-winning promotional event- Independents Days, which was recognized by the N.C. Main Street Center as Best Downtown Special Event in 2008.

Independents Days, in short, was created to celebrate locally owned and independent businesses in downtown Lincolnton. The event, which is held July 1 - 14, includes the Shop Local Challenge, the Find Your Independents Scavenger Hunt, the 4^th of July window decorating contest, and – returning again this year - the 3/50 Project. Each event is intended to drive traffic into business, and to introduce new potential customers to their products and services.

If you have any questions about Independents Days or the 4^th of July Window Decorating Contest, please contact The Downtown Development Association at 704-736-8915 or by emailing charitycarson@ci.lincolnton.nc.us. Thank you to all the participating businesses for your support in this patriotic event.

Lincolnton Citizens Celebrate Independents Days

Independents Days is once again being celebrated in downtown Lincolnton July 1 - 14. Named "Best Downtown Special Event 2008" by the North Carolina Main Street Center, this year's Independents Days includes the Shop Local Challenge, the Find Your Independents scavenger hunt, and the 3/50 project.

The initiative was begun by the American Independent Business Alliance (AMIBA) as "Independents Week," but the Downtown Development Association's (DDA) Promotions Work Group put its own spin on the event by starting Independents Days, a two week long celebration of downtown Lincolnton's locally owned independent businesses, in 2008.

The Shop Local Challenge encourages the public to shop locally owned businesses first, and to keep track of items that are not available from such establishments. Lists of those items may be turned in to the DDA at the Business & Community Development office, 114 East Main Street, to help the organization in identifying products and services that could benefit the downtown community.

Perhaps one of the more popular activities of Independents Days is the Find Your Independents scavenger hunt. To play the game, participants pick up game cards at the Business & Community Development Office or other participating businesses. They then scour locally owned businesses in the downtown area in search of the unique items listed on the game cards. Clerks in each business will mark the card with a special sticker acknowledging that the items have been found. Once participants find all of the items, they will then turn their game cards in to the Business & Community Development office by July 14 where one will be randomly drawn on July 15 for a prize package filled with goodies from each of the following participating businesses: 36^th Street Bakery & Café, Fausto’s Coffee, First Federal Savings Bank, Heavenly Paws Pet Grooming, Hi-Lites, Kate McCall, Merle Norman Cosmetic Studio/Studio 220, The Perfect Spot and Ride-A-Bike. No purchase is necessary to play the game.

"The game was developed to offer some incentive for people to visit downtown Lincolnton's locally owned independent businesses that they may not visit on a regular basis," said Cathy Davis, Chair of the DDA Promotions Work Group. "We hope that our participants discover something new downtown, whether it be a new business or an item that they did not know was available in Lincolnton."

The final facet of the promotion, the 3/50 Project, has swept the nation's independently owned businesses since its launch earlier this year. The project asks citizens to identify the three independently owned businesses that they would miss most if they were gone. Citizens are then encouraged to stop by those businesses - to pick up a small gift for a friend or even just to say hello - as a way of showing their support.

“Fifty comes from the idea that if even half the employed population spent a mere $50 per month in locally owned retail stores, those purchases would generate more than $42.6 billion in revenue,” said Cinda Baxter, creator of the 3/50 Project. “That's a huge impact for a relatively small investment.”

Approximately $68 remains in a community's economy for every $100 spent in locally owned stores. By contrast, only $43 per $100 remains local when spent in national chains; little or no revenue results from online purchases.

“In essence, the whole thing boils down to 'Pick 3, spend 50, save the economy.' It's really that

simple,” said Baxter.

More information on the 3/50 Project can be found at www.the350project.net, and more information on Independents Days can be obtained by calling Lincolnton Business & Community Development at (704) 736-8915 or visiting www.downtownlincolnton.blogspot.com.