Shaw Commercial Revitalization

DID YOU KNOW?
In 1915, Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950), a Harvard-trained historian and DC Public Schools teacher, founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. In 1922, he moved his operations to 1538 9th Street, NW, living and working in that row house until his death. In the intervening years, Woodson successfully established Black history as an academic discipline and fought to correct the commonly held belief that African-Americans had made little or no contribution to the development of the American nation. In 1926, Woodson established Negro History Week (now Black History Month). This row house is where it all began. Although the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History still owns the house, it moved out in 1971. A registered national and local landmark, the Carter G. Woodson House is being acquired by the National Park Service for development as a National Historic Site.

Commercial Revitalization

SMS takes a comprehensive approach to business revitalization by connecting small business establishments within the corridors through capacity building, design, transportation, communication, and marketing so that businesses can “feed off” one another in a sustainable way.

Our activities ensure that (a) technical assistance to current merchants increases their ability to remain in business and grow during the revitalization process; (b) training allows entrepreneurs interested in starting businesses in the Shaw commercial district to do so successfully; (c) residents are trained to be able to obtain employment with retail businesses in the Shaw commercial corridor; (d) foot traffic and promotion generate the customer base needed in order to boost sales for current and new businesses; (e) infrastructure improvements along the entire commercial district are made in a coordinated manner to create a clean, safe, and attractive environment to attract and retain customers; and (f) the historic appearance and character of the commercial corridors is preserved.

The DC Marketing Center has developed a four page summary of why Shaw is such an exciting place to locate a new business, including demographics, maps, lists of amenities and attractions, etc. Download it here.

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NEW: Check out photos from recent Shaw Main Streets events in our Photo Album.

Check out the SMS Winter 2005-2006 Newsletter .... download it.

New Businesses on 7^th and 9th Streets, NW…Read More Here.

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1426 9^th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001-3330 ---- Phone: (202) 265-SHAW ---- Fax: (202) 265-7529 ---- info@shawmainstreets.com

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