The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has named Eagle River as the recipient of its 2024 Main Street of the Year award.
This announcement comes after WEDC Secretary Missy Hughes paid a visit to the downtown Eagle River area last Friday following the 34th annual Wisconsin Main Street Awards Ceremony in Menomonie on Thursday.
The Main Street of the Year award recognizes Eagle River’s efforts to become a thriving, historic and community-centered city where a “brighter future” is being crafted by the city’s economic opportunity and local creativity.
“You have some tremendous people working behind the scenes to make this place special, and
I got to see the secret sauce that helps make this community come together,” said Hughes. “You should be proud to be a part of this community.”
“The projects we’ve worked on — whether it’s revitalizing spaces, expanding opportunities for businesses or preserving our history — feel like common-sense efforts to make Eagle River a better place for everyone,” said Eagle River Revitalization Program (ERRP) Executive Director Margelofsky. “We never set out to win awards; we simply focus on what’s best for our community.”
The ERRP’s efforts include various revitalization projects in downtown Eagle River (such as opening the Rotary Square last summer), creating business opportunities for new, and young, business owners, being a go-to resource for business owners, hosting farmers and youth entrepreneur markets during the summer, as well as earning Eagle River a listing on the National Historic Registry.
“Eagle River has created a downtown that addresses today’s needs, acknowledges the past, and looks to the future,” Hughes said. “The result is a welcoming downtown where people want to spend time.”
“Each piece strengthens both downtown and the entire city, shaping Eagle River into a destination that inspires innovation, fosters deep community connections, and leaves a lasting impact on everyone who experiences it,” Margelofsky said.
After meeting with Young Entrepreneur Market (YEM!) students at City Hall Friday afternoon, Margelofsky proceeded to take Secretary Hughes on a tour of various locations in downtown Eagle River to highlight the recent revitalization efforts in the area, and to meet with local business leaders at the Rotary Square on Wall Street and at the Railroad Depot.
During the tour, Margelofsky also highlighted the collaborative efforts happening between businesses, namely with Andy’s Pontoon Saloon on Wall Street (which earned the Best New Business Award) as one of the spearheads in helping foster a supportive community between local businesses.
The afternoon culminated with a final announcement made at Riverstone Brewing Company, which the WEDC has previously supported with a Community Development Investment grant, stating that Eagle River will be the recipient of a $250,000 small business improvement grant.
“This is amazing. And it’s all accredited to the incredible work that you all have done and the tremendous work that’s happened in Eagle River,” Secretary Hughes stated. “We watch communities to see which communities are turning themselves into magnets and doing things to create momentum, and Eagle River is certainly doing that. Eagle River represents many of the qualities that make Wisconsin unique — a strong community identity, a sense of place, a spirit of creativity, and a continuous drive to make each day a little better.”
The WEDC also awarded Eagle River a $250,000 Small Business Development Grant (SBDG) during the Friday afternoon tour.
The grant is an add-on to the Main Street Bounceback program, a small business support initiative supported by the WEDC following its creation by Governor Tony Evers in 2021.
The program offers financial incentives for communities and organizations to develop innovative programs that directly support small businesses and small business creation. The program’s goal is to support local and regional economic development programs that are aimed at providing greater access to capital to small businesses throughout the state.
The SBDG Program is a competitive program that assists local and regional economic development organizations, municipalities, tribal governments and counties to support small business development in their respective areas. WEDC has allocated $2 million for fiscal year 2025, with individual grants ranging from $50,000 to $250,000.
Eligible uses of funds include, but are not limited to, matching grant programs (such as startup, façade, expansion) and small business financing for firms with fewer than 25 full-time equivalent employees. Grant funds may not be used to cover past costs. WEDC does not require matching funds for this program; however, applications that provide for matching funds receive extra points in the scoring process. The scoring process will also take into account whether the project is in a rural or distressed area, and whether it will assist small businesses that are diversely owned, among other criteria.
Eagle River is one of 19 communities (out of 70 applicants) in Wisconsin to receive this grant, with the grant’s purpose to help small businesses renovate and revitalize. Recipients are chosen based on proposed projects that keep in mind revitalization, according to Hughes.
“It’s a catalyst for transformation,” Margelofsky said. “It reinforces the dedication of our small business owners, property developers, and community leaders who are actively shaping a stronger, more resilient future for Eagle River. I also want to acknowledge the City of Eagle River, our Business Improvement District, and our local partners who continue to work alongside us to create meaningful economic growth, whether it’s preserving our historic character, revitalizing underutilized spaces, or fostering business expansions.
“To our business owners, property developers, and entrepreneurs, this is your time,” she added. “Thank you to WEDC, Secretary Hughes, our partners and every person in this community who believes in the power of revitalization. The impact starts today, and the best is yet to come.”
More information about the Main Street Bounceback Program can be found by visiting the WEDC’s website at wedc.org/programs.
More information about the ERRP and its revitalization efforts can be found by visiting eagleriverrevitalization.org.
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