Mount Vernon Downtown Association

06/13/2026

Looking for a place to chill during this warm weather? Look no further!!!

MOUNT VERNON — While most bars revolve around intoxicating beverages, downtown Mount Vernon's newest bar, Dry Inside, does not.

06/12/2026

The west side bridge is now down to one lane, but traffic is moving quickly and smoothly🚦Make sure to continue supporting the downtown and west side businesses during this time!

06/12/2026

As we wrap up Main Street week, we invite you to imagine the future of downtown Mount Vernon and of districts across our state. We believe that Main Street is full of possibilities — for vibrant, creative housing solutions; for entrepreneurial and small business ecosystems; for safe and walkable neighborhoods; for gathering places that bring people together across real and perceived barriers; and for the opportunity to work shoulder-to-shoulder to improve the place where you live.

The Main Street movement in Washington State is strong, and it offers limitless potential for our communities to continue to innovate, adapt, and thrive.

Share your thoughts and hopes for the future of Downtown Mount Vernon by emailing [email protected]

Learn more at preservewa.org/mainstreetweek

Washington Trust

06/12/2026

06/11/2026

Main Street represents both longevity and adaptability. From the potential to reuse and reimagine historic spaces to the impressive track record of reinvention through decades of economic and social change, Main Streets, the organizations and the districts themselves are a sound investment.

The Washington State Main Street Program has a positive return on investment for the State of Washington. For every dollar the state has allocated to the program, the economic activity generated in Main Street communities has generated $1.58 back to the state in tax revenues from enhanced business activity.
This noteworthy ROI encompasses the Main Street Tax Credit Incentive Program, a unique funding opportunity that allows Washington businesses to effectively keep their tax dollars local by making a donation to a designated Main Street Community.

Many businesses in Mount Vernon have agreed that Main Street is a sound investment and are supporting the MVDA through this program! THANK YOU: BIAW Member Services Corporation/SICBA Skagit/Island Counties Builders Association , the City of Mount Vernon, Dorothea Coffee, Heritage Bank, HKP Architects, Ideal Rent-All, Judd & Black Appliance, PAVÉ Jewelry & Design, Peoples Bank (WA), Potelco, Inc., Premier Wealth Management, Primeau Consulting Group, Skagit Valley Food Co-op, and Windermere Real Estate | Skagit Valley!

Interested in learning more about the Main Street Tax Credit Incentive Program? Email [email protected]

Washington Trust

06/10/2026

From downtown Mount Vernon to up-and-coming metro areas such as Vancouver and Everett to rural regions like Colville and LaCrosse, has been an effective strategy for organizing local people around their shared passion for resilient historic commercial districts since 1984!

One of the best things about Washington Main Street is the diversity of the network of communities across our state. While the contexts may differ, the principles are the same, and leaders from every corner of our state have opportunities to learn with and from each other through programming.

Washington Main Streets frequently look for ways to leverage limited resources, (like a current plan in development between Mount Vernon, Anacortes and Snohomish) to share costs in bringing experts to our communities.

Whether a Main Street district is contending with the pressures associated with being along the I-5 corridor or struggling with the population threats that come with changes to agricultural practices, Main Street can be a powerful tool for bringing people together to sustain and invigorate downtown.

06/10/2026

Eastbound closure starts at 6 PM TOMORROW, June 11!

06/09/2026

Up next in the Main Street Week series: Main Street Bolsters Small Businesses!

Small businesses make up 99.5% of all businesses in Washington State. Just like they are statewide, small businesses are the backbone of downtown Mount Vernon. They not only power our local economy and recirculate dollars spent with them at least 4 times locally, but they also power our civic life, through sponsoring youth sports, donating to nonprofit organizations, and providing gathering spaces where our community members find connection. Every downtown business is so much more than a business - it is the manifestation of the owner’s dreams and the physical representation of their vision and labor.

The Mount Vernon Downtown Association works to support our small businesses in myriad ways, both seen and unseen. From providing a small business incubator for early-stage entrepreneurs, making connections for business and property owners, advocacy at the local, state and national level, to creating beloved community events that bring tens of thousands of people downtown, we continually work to cultivate a vibrant and prosperous downtown we can all be proud of.

Small businesses operate with narrow margins, which will be especially razor-thin this year due to traffic disruption from the SR 536 bridge project. We’ll be working harder than ever to keep these gritty businesses afloat and ask you to do all you can to support them.

Want to help shape the future of downtown? Reach out to share your hopes and ideas!

06/08/2026

It’s Main Street in Washington State! This week, we’ll be highlighting the many ways that Main Street (or 1st Street, in Mount Vernon’s case) contributes to a healthy community and resilient local economy.

First up, we’re sharing how Main Street creates connection:

Our environment- the places where we live, work, and play- has a significant impact on our wellbeing, both at the individual and the societal levels. When we don’t feel connected to our place and our neighbors, we experience negative impacts on our physical health, our quality of life, and our shared resiliency. Historic downtowns and neighborhood business districts are rife with possibilities for fostering community connections and the many positive impacts that ripple out from social connection.

There is a strong connection between Main Street and sense of belonging. Our district creates many opportunities for increased connection and belonging! This might look like getting together with your friends at a wine walk, gathering with family for a free movie at the Pine Square Cinema, or cheering on a soon-to-be graduate as they walk through downtown at the annual Graduation Parade.

We hope you’ve taken advantage of the opportunities for connection in downtown Mount Vernon!

Learn more at preservewa.org/mainstreetweek

06/06/2026

10 Things We Love About elSage Designs:
1) They create unique, original and fun designs.
2) They started as a side hustle and grew into a brick-and-mortar retail and production business.
3) They source high-quality responsibly produced t-shirts, sweatshirts and hats for printing.
4) They provide jobs in our community.
5) They support emerging creative entrepreneurs through their business.
6) They activate Sundays on the Riverwalk Plaza with Valley Made Markets.
7) They champion a welcoming and inclusive culture.
8) They are not afraid to take calculated entrepreneurial risks.
9) They own and maintain an historic downtown building.
10) They are great neighbors and support other downtown businesses.
Congratulations on 10 years!