Bidding was hot and heavy for Emporia Main Street’s 2026 Public Improvement Auction on Saturday.
Between an online auction, live auction and dessert auction, plus a performance by HiFi’s Dueling Pianos, the event generated over $42,000. Main Street Community Development Coordinator Jessica Buchholz says the event highlights a key part of Main Street’s mission: helping local businesses succeed.
Since funding a downtown speaker and public address system that was installed in 2019, the fundraising focus has shifted towards more direct support for local businesses. Buchholz says funds from Saturday will help existing supports and, potentially, develop new ones.
Buchholz says the general public may see Main Street for its involvement in public activities like Unbound Gravel, the Glass Blown Open or Great American Market. Small business owners, meanwhile, seek out Main Street for its track record of connections and assistance, whether through different loan programs or through the Fabrication Lab.
How Main Street is able to help local businesses by this time next year is more unclear than after past auctions, due to last week’s announcement of Main Street’s presence in the Flint Hills Economic Alliance. Main Street is researching different avenues to continue its assistance under the new economic development coalition, tentatively set to also include the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce, Emporia Enterprises, Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas and Visit Emporia — while maintaining its affiliation with Kansas Main Street and Main Street America. The Economic Alliance is tentatively set to begin by the end of this year.
Click here for KVOE’s YouTube channel, including a YouTube Short from the event.
