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MAIN STREET USA!
Alexandria Binanti, Executive Director of the Business Improvement District, provided a recap at the last Committee of the Whole meeting regarding the Main Street Accreditation. Lake Geneva has recently been accredited as a Main Street Wisconsin and is now affiliated with the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation.
It’s a long, strenuous process to become a recognized “Main Street”, which comes with a lot of benefits not just for the business district but for the community as a whole. Advocates from the Main Street accreditation recently spent a handful of days in Lake Geneva getting to know the community through various meetings and speaking engagements. The initial observation shows a great historic story, a diverse group of businesses, a good amount of active private investors, and the nightlife is bigger than most think, and of course, the lakefront creates a picturesque backdrop.
There is always room for improvement, and the BID is well aware of the parking frustrations and the lack of public bathrooms. The city has a wonderful small-charm feel, and the BID is aware that it must be preserved to keep the city as unique as it is. The small businesses are a big part of that, but recent research has shown that the average rent downtown has jumped up quite a bit, bringing in more high-end shops and pushing out the unique small shops.
Compared to other tourist towns in Wisconsin that are somewhat comparable to Lake Geneva, the BID would like to work with the city, landlords, renters, and any organization that could potentially help, and avoid businesses leaving and needing to get creative with hiding empty stores downtown. Lake Geneva is probably the highest. Main Street Accreditation includes so many marketing perks, financial opportunities, and bragging rights.
Also, the expansion of the BID is still on the table, and the plan commission could see the idea in early 2026. With growth comes more opportunity and financial backing. Lake Geneva is considered one of the top Main Streets, and the BID is not giving up that title anytime soon. The BID reassures the community that improvements and maintenance of the city are ongoing.
On a side note, the BID intends to bring the very missed and loved Cocoa Crawl back in 2027. Alexandria herself has been a marvel in the administration of the BID, but her work has not been limited to just helping alone. With Janine, from Harbor Shores, at the head of the board, her wonder of an executive officer stands right by her side at all times. The Main Street Accreditation process is long and hard. There are only 821 Main Streets accredited this way, and the requirements are pretty strict. If that number seems large, then reflect on the fact that there are just over 21,000 Main Streets so named in the United States.
Nice work to the BID and Alex and Janine in particular.
