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Main Street director reports 2025 gains, urges zoning and tax tools to fill vacant spaces
Summary
Simsbury Main Street Partnership Executive Director Sarah Nielsen told the Board the organization sold 432 gift cards in a holiday promotion that kept $25,900 in town and outlined 2026 goals including vacancy reduction, zoning work, tax abatement strategies and expanded event listings.
Sarah Nielsen, executive director of the Simsbury Main Street Partnership, presented the group's 2025 report and 2026 initiatives to the Board of Selectmen on Jan. 12. She said the partnership operates under a three-year memorandum of understanding with the town and provides free services aimed at retaining and recruiting local businesses.
Nielsen highlighted the group’s Black Friday/Small Business Saturday gift-card program, saying, "There were 432 gift cards sold, which keeps $25,900 in Town," and described online tools including FinderSpaceinSimsbury.com for business-for-sale listings and Simsburyevents.com for event listings. She said the partnership plans to use event data and AI tools to inform marketing and optimize programming.
Nielsen said the Main Street Partnership will focus on identifying vacant commercial spaces and collaborating on zoning issues and tax abatement options to encourage desired development. The group also plans continued engagement with local hotels and the International Skating Center, noting the skating-center expansion is a phased project separate from town-owned property.
After the presentation, no motion was required.
