Downtown Business Owners Provide Input During Town Hall With Main Street Marshfield

Tuesday, October 28th, 2025 -- 8:01 AM

(By Tom Loucks, City of Marshfield's Communications Director) Local downtown business owners, City officials, and other community leaders gathered together for a Town Hall meeting held by Main Street Marshfield at the Chestnut Center on Thursday, October 23.

According to Tom Loucks, City of Marshfield Communications Director, Carter Howe, the new executive director of Main Street Marshfield, expresses his excitement about fostering community growth.

He underlines the need for innovation in digital marketing to enhance visibility for local businesses, indicating that adapting to current trends is vital for community and economic development.

The panelists discuss the significance of collaboration among property owners, city staff, and local organizations. They emphasize the need to actively engage in open discussions to identify opportunities for community betterment, ensuring that everyone has a voice in the revitalization efforts.

Panelists highlight the critical need for more retail options in downtown Marshfield. Greater retail diversity can drive traffic and support existing businesses, creating a vibrant atmosphere that attracts new customers and sustains the area's economic health.

There's a strong call for better use of available retail space, as many are currently too large. I think the suggestion to create a unified list of these spaces addresses the need for coordinated marketing efforts to fill vacancies and attract a variety of businesses to the area.

Business owners express frustration over the lack of available liquor licenses, a barrier to attracting new restaurants crucial to downtown vitality. A concerted effort must be made to advocate for legislative changes to relax these restrictions and thus encourage new dining opportunities.

The discussion reveals a sentiment in favor of supporting local businesses over big chains. Highlighting the importance of fostering a culture of buying local, companies must collaborate to create attractive shopping experiences that incentivize community members to spend their money locally rather than travel elsewhere.

Participants stress the importance of researching grant opportunities to bolster local businesses. It's emphasized that leveraging collaborative efforts with organizations like Midstate Technical College can increase the likelihood of securing funding, which is vital to the ongoing sustainability and growth of downtown initiatives.

The Panelists included: Dave Krause (Commercial Lending); Ashley Fredrick (Real Estate); Steve Barg (City of Marshfield); Brad Simonson, AIA, ASLA, NCARB, Architect, President Emeritus, HSR Associates

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