New Path for Small Business Success in Buchanan

Submitted by Ashley Regal, City of Buchanan Main Street Manager/Assistant Director of Community Development

Buchanan, MI – May 4, 2022

Small town Buchanan, Michigan to host a small business incubator focussing on burgeoning businesses in the food and retail sectors. This project will be housed in Buchanan’s largest vacant building located in the heart of downtown Buchanan. Previously Hometown Video, 101 Days Avenue is currently undergoing extensive redevelopment efforts and will be a huge signal to the community of continued investment in Buchanan. As an homage to the building’s prior life, the incubator space will be called Hometown & Co. Mercantile and Food Market.

LiveBuchanan, Buchanan’s downtown economic development team, plans to host ten to twelve emerging businesses to provide an additional food and retail space for the community as well as a launch pad for these businesses to be ultimately self-sustained and placed in the community. LiveBuchanan’s board of directors includes architects, designers, entrepreneurs, and more that are helping bring this idea to life. 

Says Ashley Regal, LiveBuchanan’s Executive Director, “This is not just a team effort– it’s a community effort. Obviously the vision of the Rowlands to invest in restoring this beautiful building and then entrusting us to do right by the community speaks to the town pride in Buchanan. And then our board is made of such a diverse group of super qualified individuals volunteering their time… All I can say is that the town pride in Buchanan is really unmatched.”

Construction is slated to be completed in late summer with plans to open the incubator in early fall. The board is accepting applications now through June to participate in the incubator program. To learn more visit LiveBuchanan.com/business-incubator.

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