Main Street Waverly
Waverly’s downtown is the heart of our community — a place where local businesses thrive, historic buildings are preserved, and neighbors gather for shopping, events, and everyday connections.
For more than 35 years, Waverly has proudly been a
Main Street Iowa community,
working alongside volunteers, businesses, and local partners to strengthen and revitalize our historic downtown.
Waverly's Main Street Program
by the Numbers
For more than three decades, Waverly’s Main Street program has helped shape a stronger downtown.
126
businesses startup, relocate or expand in the downtown district resulting in...
370
new jobs and...
118
buildings sold. Over...
$12 million
of public money has been invested in downtown revitalization and over...
$51 million
of private money has been invested in building/rehabilitation projects. None of this would have been possible without the help of volunteers who have contributed more than...
98,000
hours of their time. Finally, with nearly...
600
employees working in businesses throughout downtown, Waverly’s Main Street district continues to be the largest employer in our community.
Waverly’s downtown is more than a collection of buildings — it’s the heart of our community. From locally owned shops and restaurants to events, historic spaces, and everyday connections, downtown is where Waverly comes together.
Through the Main Street Iowa program, Waverly is part of a statewide network of communities working to strengthen historic downtown districts through economic development, preservation, and community engagement.
For more than 35 years, Waverly has proudly participated in this program, gaining access to training, resources, and expertise that help support local businesses, revitalize historic buildings, and create vibrant experiences downtown.
Our work follows the nationally recognized Main Street Four-Point Approach®, a proven framework used by communities across the country to strengthen downtown districts.
Main Street Iowa
Waverly’s downtown revitalization work is guided by the nationally recognized Main Street Approach™, developed by Main Street America.
This proven model helps communities strengthen historic downtown districts by building on what makes them unique — local businesses, historic buildings, and strong community partnerships.
The approach focuses on four key areas that work together to create lasting impact:
Business Development
Supporting entrepreneurs, strengthening existing businesses, and encouraging investment downtown.

Design
Enhancing the physical environment through historic preservation, placemaking, and thoughtful improvements.
Promotion
Creating events and marketing that bring people downtown and celebrate Waverly’s identity.
Organization
Building partnerships, leadership, and volunteer engagement to support long-term success.
Today, more than 1,600 communities across the country use the Main Street approach to strengthen their downtown districts and local economies.
Main Street America
Main Street Iowa is a source of positive, transformative energy that Waverly taps into. This partnership arms us with tested approaches to placemaking that focus on what makes our community what it is. The goal is always to make a good thing better - rather than striving to be like somewhere else.
Andrew Bell, PRA
