History Of Organization

The Main Street program was initiated in Beaufort in 1985 and was created as a non-profit partner with the City of Beaufort. The program has contracted with the City of Beaufort for 30 years to perform services directly related to downtown redevelopment, such as promotion and advertising, business retention and recruitment, and design assistance, to name a few.

In 1989, Main Street Beaufort, USA absorbed the Merchant Committee, which had existed since the 1970s. The merger created a unified voice for small business owners in the downtown district while in turn strengthening Main Streets membership base. The former Downtown Association Board became Main Streets Promotion Committee, a group which continues to direct and coordinate special events, promotions, advertising and cooperative programs for merchants.

Main Street Beaufort, USA, is an official South Carolina Main Street community and is certified by Main Street South Carolina and  the National Main Street Center, a non-profit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Main Street Beaufort, USA, is celebrating more than 30 years of downtown revitalization June 24, 2015. The organization has been named a semi-finalist in the National Main Street Center’s Great American Main Street award in 2013, 2014, and 2015.