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About Us
Area History
The Downtown Brainerd of today, with its unique shopping and dining experiences and charming commercial buildings, is the outgrowth of over 130 years of commercial and retail metamorphosis. Even in the late 19th century, businesses needed to be innovative and creative to continuously meet the ever-changing interests of their customers. Nowhere is this more evident than in the history of Downtown Brainerd.
Beginning of Downtown Brainerd
Downtown Brainerd started near the Mississippi river on Front street and expanded to the east along Front Street, with boarding houses and hotels. A few decades after the city was founded, grander buildings were built closer to 5th and 6th Streets. The main business street in Brainerd slowly shifted from Front Street to Laurel Street over the years.
Though the core of the historic Downtown was on the south side of the railroad tracks, some distinguished buildings were built north of the tracks, such as the Villard at Washington and Sixth. However, when the hotel burned in 1887, more of the city's business life stayed south of the tracks for many years. The appearance of automobiles aided in the expansion of the business district to Washington Street and beyond.
Today
Downtown Brainerd is lucky to have many of its older buildings still standing, filled with unique, locally-owned shops and restaurants creating a pedestrian friendly commercial district with authentic Midwest town charm. National Registered historic buildings in Downtown include the old Brainerd Public Library, the Brainerd Water Tower, and the Parker Building (E.L. Menk Jewelers).
Brainerd Main Street would like to acknowledge Brainerd Amateur Historians, Ingolf Dillans "Brainerd's Half Century," Carl Zapffe's "Brainerd 1871–1946," and BrainerdHistory.com by the Brainerd Dispatch. for the invaluable knowledge they make available.
Advisory Committee
Business and property owners, community leaders, and local government representatives work together to give oversight and direction to this new and growing program. Meets monthly.
Marketing Sub-committee
Creates a positive image of the area through advertising, retail promotional activity, special events, and marketing campaigns with the help of business owners, professionals from advertising and marketing fields, and from interested residents. Meets monthly.
Business Connects
Delivers monthly education and networking opportunities for businesses in the CBD to enhance business.
Plans and implements events in the Main Street area to improve business such as the Women's Walk-About, Crazee Daze, and Downtown Holli-Days. Meets monthly
Design Sub-committee
This group works to create an inviting atmosphere in the program area, through attractive window displays, parking areas, building improvements, street furniture, signs, sidewalks, street lights, and landscaping. Focus is also given to improving maintenance practices in the commercial district, enhancing the physical appearance of the commercial district by rehabilitating historic buildings, and encouraging appropriate new construction. Meets monthly.
Business Improvement Sub-committee
A group of volunteers working closely with the Brainerd Lakes Area Development Corporation strives to enhance housing opportunities and actively improve the business mix in the program area through strengthening existing businesses and attracting new ones. Meets bi-monthly.
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