Do Business
Downtown
How can we help you?
Thinking of starting a new business? Wanting to expand an existing business? Trying to get started with online sales? Downtown is the perfect location! Get lots of tips, from business plan development to guidebooks, this page is filled with valuable resources that can help along the way. You can even list your business on our interactive map or find the place to locate that new business on our available building inventory page, created in partnership with Morgan County GIS.
Business Assistance
It can be a dream come true... but it takes a considerable amount of work and dedication! Entrepreneurs must devote a lot of time and even personal resources to opening and running a small business... and it is much more than just being there with regular hours. Here are some tools to help you on your journey to successful small business ownership.
Discover Downtown
Jacksonville Main Street joined forces with the Morgan County GIS Department to offer a free interactive business listing to lead customers right to downtown businesses. Simply click on the business type to see what is nearby on any smart phone or computer. This award-winning site is updated routinely and works great on th free Downtown WIFI (JMS Guest offers up to 2 hours of free daily internet access in Central Park.)
Jacksonville Main Street Facebook Page
Downtown businesses are welcome to post information about specials or promotions directly to the Jacksonville Main Street Facebook page to reach a wider audience. With over 6,200 followers, posts can have a reach topping over 35,000 a week! Don't miss this free business promotion opportunity. Plus JMS event information is routinely updated there. Don't forget to sign up for our free weekly email newsletter, Happening Downtown, where you can share your business news.
Jacksonville Main Street Network Group
The Jacksonville Main Street Network is a private Facebook group for ONLY downtown business owners and operators to enjoy the opportunity to communicate with each other. Here is where Jacksonville Main Street can share information, articles, and links pertinent to downtown business operations and where businesses can reach out to one another privately to plan business activities. If you are a district business, request to join this closed group.
Jacksonville Enterprise Zone Development corporation
The Jacksonville Enterprise Zone Development Corporation is a for-profit community development corporation subsidiary of Jacksonville Main Street. Together, these organizations share the mission to enhance quality of life, cultivate historic integrity, and help businesses thrive through partnerships and programming in downtown Jacksonville. Managed by a separate board of directors, JEZDC helps fulfill this goal by offering three different low-interest revolving loan programs, including a forgivable for professional plan development, and a micro-loan for COVID relief. Since 2000, JEZDC has provided over $200,000 in project funding for permanent building improvements within the Jacksonville Main Street District, as well as supported economic development efforts to help cultivate new business leaders.
Property Assistance Programs
Jacksonville Main Street provides access to a variety of useful economic development tools that, combined, help entrepreneurs and owners find downtown space (in partnership with Morgan County GIS), market properties, plan historic preservation-friendly improvements, and assist with expenses through incentive programs.