What about Watertown makes you proud to own a business or a building in our city? For the Watertown Main Street Program, our greatest sense of pride is knowing that Watertown has the largest intact commercial historic district in the state of Wisconsin. The Main Street Program is continuously working to improve our downtown to make it the best it can be for our residents and tourists alike.

When you are expecting company you most likely vacuum, dust and make your home as presentable as it can be, right? Because we are always hoping to attract more “company” in the form of visitors to our downtown, it needs to looks its best at all times.

There are many simple things you can do as a business or property owner in the downtown to keep things neat and tidy and they would only take a few moments of your time.
1. Pick up trash that accumulates each day around your doorway and pull or spray weeds that creep along the foundation and sidewalk of your building.
2. Wash windows – it is amazing how much nicer a building looks with a little polish and shine.
3. Create innovative changing window displays that will attract customers to your business.
4. Hang inexpensive sheer or lace-curtain panels in vacant upper story windows.

By helping to maintain an attractive downtown, you will inspire your neighbors to do the same thus improving business retention, aiding in business recruitment and sustaining your property value. Many property owners in the downtown express frustration when they work to maintain their property and their neighbors do not. Owning a property in a designated historic district should be considered a privilege and with that comes the responsibility of keeping your building looking the best it can be.

As a business or a building owner, you can have a voice in which direction Watertown grows, as well as the pride in knowing that you contributed to the many wonderful things this city and this program has to offer.