News

 In February of 1991 Conrad became the first Main Street program in the country accepted into the program and allowed to apply the Four Point Approach on a community-wide basis.

The Conrad Main Street Program and its Founding Members is today recognized for their belief in the value of the Four Point Main Street approach.  The citizen's of Conrad helped established Conrad as the first self-initiated Rural Main Street program in 1990 and the only Main Street program in country selected to apply the program to not only our downtown, but our entire community in 1991. Twenty-eight years later; what started out as a skeptical demonstration project few thought could be sustainable, has become one of the most successful Rural Main Street Programs in Iowa!

Congratulations and THANK-YOU to the community of Conrad and all of it's volunteers and supporters over the past 28 years! 

October 2018-  Chalet moved to downtown Conrad and had their ribbon cutting and open house 

December 2017- Conrad Fire and BCERT moved to their new building on Hartwig Street and Conrad Chamber- Main Street had a ribbon cutting.

September 2017- GNB Insurance  and Reality moved to 125 N Main and Conrad Chamber- Main Street had ribbon cutting.

June 2017-  Conrad Chamber- Main Street receives a $ 25,600 Main Street Challenge grant for 111 N Main Street. Jennie Wilson-Moore opened a Law practice in this building and Conrad Chamber- Main Street had a ribbon cutting.

August 2016- Shine Apartments ribbon cutting and opening house 

September 2015- Ribbon cutting for Conrad Hardware on 102 E Grundy Street.

September 2015 - Conrad Chamber-Main Street receives a $75,000 Main Street Challenge grant for 103 & 105 N Main Street.  Dan Shine, owner of Shiner Development and Shiner Construction will use the grant to gut the upper story and make 4 new apartments for downtown living.

June 2014 - Celebration of the Downtown Revitalization Project Ribbon Cutting.  23 store fronts and 4 rear facades are have gone under a $850,000 plus facelift. The Project, managed by the Conrad Chamber-Main Street, was kicked off with a CDBG grant of $500,000 in May of 2012, and supported by TIF funds allocated by the City of Conrad and individual businesses themselves.  A celebration of the Downtown Revitalization was held with a big ribbon cutting ceremony with some dignitaries, including Senator Chuck Grassley and Main Street State Coordinator Michael Wagler present.

May 2012 - $3.5 Million in CDBG Awards Made to Seven Iowa Communities
Go to the following link to read all about this amazing opportunity for Conrad. http://www.iowaeconomicdevelopment.com/Documents/documents.aspx?id=3

April 1, 2011 - Conrad is honored at the 2011 Main Street Iowa Awards in Des Moines.  Conrad was amongst only 5 communities how were honored at this years annual awards dinner at the downtown Marriott in Des Moines for reaching a significant benchmark based on private dollar investments made in the purchase and revitalization of properties within their respective commercial districts. Conrad was honored for $5 million in local investments since the programs inception in 1991! 

February 2011 - Conrad Main Street program celebrates 20 years of existence!!  Conrad self-initiated the 4-point approach program in 1989 and in 1991 was accepted into the state and national program as the first and only community-wide Main Street Program!  Now, 20 years later, the program is going strong and has no plans to stop!  Congratulations to everyone who has made the Main Street program a success in the past 20 years! 

May 2010 - The National Preservation Office announces that the National Main Street Conference will be held in Des Moines in 2011!!!  Des Moines, who will be celebrating 25 years in the National program, edged out other states for the conference for the upcoming year.  Conrad, who will be celebrating their 20th year as a Main Street Community in 2011, along with the other 40 plus Main Street communities are thrilled to share in the excitement of the National Conference.  Mark your calendars to join us May 22-25, 2011.  If you would like to learn more about the National Conference, contact the Conrad Chamber-Main Street Office. 

August 2008 - Conrad named the 2008 FHLB Iowa Capital Community! Conrad will be presented this award and $15,000 for community development projects on September 12 at the Conrad American Legion.

For more news and information about our program, check out our newsletter, copies of which may be found at the Chamber-Main Street office. The newsletter is published three times a year (Spring, Summer and Fall/Winter) and is distributed by mail to Conrad and Beaman area postal customers.

See the Calendar of Events section of this web site for a month-by-month listing and description of Conrad Chamber-Main Street's events.