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Economic Development Director, Jeff Garstka, and former Main Street Manager, Missy Matthews, are the City of Reidsville’s 2020 Main Street Champions. This duo executed a revolutionary downtown development effort for Reidsville beginning in 2017, transforming the City’s Main Street efforts from an event-heavy program to a robust and aggressive economic development strategy. Missy elevated the quality of year-round events, built an unprecedented rapport with local merchants, and steered the Reidsville Downtown Corporation as it developed into a hard-working group of volunteers.
The two also led the City’s Project D.R.E.A.M. public art movement, which resulted in a beautiful streetscape transformation with new trees in custom-built planters featuring panels created by a local artist, murals, fire hydrant paintings, and other visual enhancements to the downtown. Finally, their hard work paid off when Reidsville’s Main Street program achieved National Accreditation status in 2019 for the first time since the City became a Main Street community in 1984.
Reidsville is proud to honor Jeff Gartska and Missy Matthews as North Carolina Main Street Champions.