Where is a great Main Street, and what makes it awesome?

“One of my favorite destinations in Connecticut was the little town of Madison situated a few miles from Hamonasset beach on the Long Island Sound. RJ Julia, an awesome independent bookstore café,  was in the center of downtown. We loved book browsing, stopping in the small coffee shops, and attending the Saturday afternoon wine tastings at Rick’s Madison Wine Shop. The clean white clapboard and red brick streetscape reflected the town’s New England heritage. We were always finding excuses to visit Madison because we enjoyed strolling down Main Street.”

—Elizabeth Theiss Smith, associate professor at the University of South Dakota

“Parkston, S.D., has a wealth of business variety: banks, insurance agents, and normal mom-and-pop variety stores. All storefronts are filled and very welcoming. Also, they have a large park/sitting area on the west side, toward the end of one city block, that is a very inviting/calming area to sit down and relax.”

—Kim Easland, finance director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development

Here’s a list of great Main Streets compiled by Prairie Idea Exchange participants:

• Aberdeen, S.D.
• Fort Collins, Colo.
• Sioux Falls, S.D.
• Brookings, S.D.
• Boulder, Colo.
• Hill City, S.D.
• Pipestone, S.D.
• Dawson, Minn.
• St. Joseph, Minn.
• New Ulm, Minn.
• Faulkton, S.D.
• Seattle
• Britton, S.D.
• Denver (mall)
• Madison, Wis.
• Jenna, Germany

What’s your favorite Main Street? Share your thoughts at www.pie4.us.