Mississippi Main Street Association (MMSA) Executive Director Bob Wilson made a second trip to Como last week. Wilson was joined by directors of successful Main Street programs in Batesville, Water Valley, Tunica and Olive Branch. He made the visit after an initial trip in August at the invitation from the Como Rotary Club which, in turn, invited people from the community to join them as guests.

Attendance at both events indicates substantial interest among Como citizens in capitalizing on the success already demonstrated on Main Street. Community leaders have long recognized Como’s unique identity and have taken steps to preserve it.

Preserving what is unique about a town is also the goal of Mississippi Main Street, Wilson has said during both visits to Como. Further, Wilson said that the success of the state’s Main Street program stems from its ability to tie historic preservation to economic development.

“In Mississippi, we’re economic development bound in historic preservation,” Wilson said. “What (people) really like is the program creates jobs with practical preservation.”

Como already has an impressive list of accomplishments that are consistent with Mississippi Main Street Association recommendations. When the town’s post office building burned, community leaders were proactive in securing property on Main Street and convincing postal officials to allow construction consistent with the street’s character. Como has an active Historic Preservation Commission which has been successful in securing historic district status for Main Street and Elder Frank Ward Avenue. The town has also been successful in securing a tax on food and beverage sales that is to be used for tourism promotion.

It seems apparent that Como’s next step should be affiliation with the Mississippi Main Street Association. Affiliation as a Mississippi Downtown Network member costs only $1,000 annually and would give the town access to consultation and technical assistance from the MMSA staff.  

If community leaders have done this well with Main Street and historic preservation on their own, how much can they gain by joining what is arguably the best state Main Street program in the nation? It’s a win-win.

There’s another next step for community leaders to move forward with Main Street in Como: Make sure the people who were not there to hear Wilson’s presentation understand that they have an interest in Main Street as well. Help the people on Church Street and Warren Street and Clayton Street and Coleman Street all understand that a flourishing Main Street benefits every street in town.