NORTON, KS —The national small business movement, Independent We Stand, today announced the quarterfinalists, including NORTON BUSINESS DISTRICT of NORTON, KS, in the 2021 America’s Main Streets “Road to Recovery” contest. As the backbone of our cities and towns, Main Streets play an important role in local economies and serve as community pillars, bringing people together when many have been apart. The economic vitality of NORTON BUSINESS DISTRICT is one way we will continue on the “Road to Recovery” in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Independent We Stand invites the public to take action and play a role in the survival of Main Streets by voting online for their favorite quarterfinalist and moving a deserving Main Street one step closer to the cash grand prize of $25,000.

NORTON BUSINESS DISTRICT: Rural America is finally seeing a resurgence in community development success stories, and the momentum in Norton is a strong bond that binds our many civic and private organizations together. With conscientious efforts toward ‘strategic doing’, ‘shopping local’ and embracing regional programs that offer tools for success, we are expanding and revitalizing the quality of life in our small town.

“In the past 10 years our business district has been future focused, enabling over 21 businesses to complete Storefront Renewal programs. Grit and determination along with a long history of entrepreneurship and invention keep Norton true to its roots in manufacturing, technology, healthcare services, and agriculture, giving our business district challenges to remain a vital link,” said Donna Liddle, Norton Area Chamber of Commerce and Travel & Tourism CEO. “This is a challenge that we are addressing.”

More than 494,000 total votes were cast for 216 nominees during the nominations phase. The 2021 quarterfinalists in alphabetical order are:

• Beardstown Illinois, Beardstown, IL
• Brooksville Main Street, Orlando, FL
• Cambridge Main Street, Cambridge, OH
• Clovis MainStreet, Clovis, NM
• Downtown Canton, Canton, GA
• Downtown Hudson, Hudson, MA
• Downtown Jeffersonville, Jeffersonville, IN
• Eatonton Main Street, Eatonton, GA
• Elizabeth City Downtown, Elizabeth City, NC
• Fort Payne Main Street, Fort Payne, AL
• Historic Downtown Mount Airy, Mount Airy, NC
• Hope Downtown Network, Hope, AR
• Jacksonville Main Street, Jacksonville, IL
• LaBelle Downtown Revitalization Corporation, LaBelle, FL
• Main & Broad Streets, Lititz, PA
• Main Street Altus, Altus, OK
• Main Street Enterprise, Enterprise, AL
• Main Street Hayward, Hayward, WI
• Main Street Homer, Homer, LA
• Main Street Monroe, Monroe, WI
• Main Street Osborne, Osborne, KS
• Make it Maryville, Maryville, MO
• Norton Business District, Norton, KS
• Texarkana USA Amtrak Station Exterior and Platform Area, Texarkana, TX
• Washington Avenue, Navasota, TX

To vote online for quarterfinalists in the “America’s Main Streets” contest please visit MainStreetContest.com.

Semifinalist online voting begins November 15 and runs through December 12. The winner of the “America’s Main Streets” contest will be announced December 20, 2021, with a celebration event tentatively scheduled for February 2022.

Additional contest prizes include:

• STIHL Equipment Certificate for $1,000 worth of STIHL equipment good at any STIHL Dealer in the U.S.
• Do it Best $500 shopping spree
• tmbr Flooring $500 shopping spree
• Nationwide Marketing Group $500 shopping spree
• Public relations and social media recognition
• A special plaque for the winner to proudly display

For more information on NORTON BUSINESS DISTRICT visit: https://www.discovernorton.com or contact Donna Liddle, Norton Area Chamber of Commerce at (785) 877-2501, or email the Chamber at nortoncc@discovernorton.com .

Presenting Contest Sponsor:

STIHL Inc., America’s number-one selling brand of gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment*, is the founding sponsor of Independent We Stand and the presenting sponsor of America’s Main Streets contest. The company follows a unique distribution strategy in the handheld outdoor power equipment industry, choosing never to sell products at big box stores, but instead remaining loyal to its 10,000+ authorized local STIHL Dealers nationwide.

Supporting Contest Sponsors:

• Do it Best Corp.
• Nationwide Marketing Group
• North American Hardware and Paint Association
• tmbr Flooring

About Norton Area Chamber of Commerce: We were established in 1905 and have always been a driving force for community development and business revitalization efforts as well as historic preservation and establishing a historic downtown district. The Chamber also manages Travel & Tourism, which focuses on advertising, promotion, and embracing our historic structures for revitalization and preservation. We also have the advantage of incredible traffic counts on U.S. Hwy 36. ‘Every Business Counts!’

About Independent We Stand

Independent We Stand is a nationwide movement of independent small business owners whose mission is to inspire other small business owners to better understand and celebrate their locally owned status while educating consumers about the importance and strong economic benefits of supporting them. The Independent We Stand movement is sponsored by STIHL Inc. STIHL products are sold through more than 10,000 authorized local STIHL Dealers from coast to coast – not big box stores. Associate sponsors include North American Hardware and Paint Association, Nationwide Marketing Group, Do it Best Corp. and tmbr Flooring.

*”Number one selling brand” is based on syndicated Irwin Broh Research as well as independent consumer research of 2009-2020 U.S. sales and market share data for the gasoline-powered handheld outdoor power equipment category combined sales to consumers and commercial landscapers.