Business News - August 18

🛍️ Shopping & Upcoming Events 🎉

Author

Joya Garris
August 19, 2025

Happy Tuesday!

Today’s Top Three:

  • We’ve curated a list of best practices for this Saturday’s Sidewalk Sale. 

  • Join us for a training meeting for our new gift card platform, Yiftee!

  • Mark your calendars for upcoming events downtown! Scroll down to the Events and Street Closures section to see a list of 14 large events coming to Downtown Roanoke!

Keep reading to stay informed!  

- Joya Garris, Director of Marketing & Communications

Stay Informed

Ambassador Update 💙 

Have you met the Downtown Roanoke Ambassador Program’s full-time, paid Outreach Specialist, Avanna? She assists individuals in need by conducting business outreach, addressing quality of life issues, and checking in with those who require support. Avanna helps connect individuals with services available in our area and participates in weekly joint outreach walks with various agencies, including the Homeless Assistance Team, Rescue Mission, RAM House, Blue Ridge Behavioral Healthcare, and more.

Get Involved

Sidewalk Sale Best Practices 🛍️ 

The Downtown Sidewalk Sale is this Saturday, August 23rd!

Tips, Tricks, & Best Practices

  • Submit your sales so we can help with promotion. View sales here.

  • Create appealing sidewalk displays to attract customers

  • Hang "SALE" posters and signs indicating prices/discounts

  • Think about ways to make your business stand out from the rest

  • Inform customers: Talk about the Sidewalk Sale in-person and on social media

  • Offer previews of the items on sale (Facebook lives, social media posts, stories, etc)

  • Decorate your windows and sandwich boards!

  • Make the most of your limited space. Think about utilizing vertical space. You may want to add shelves to your table to display more items.

  • Send messages to customer email list or newsletter

Gift Card Meeting 💳️ 

Wednesday, August 27th | 4pm | Charter Hall, City Market Building

DRI is excited to announce that we are switching to a new gift card program in September that offers a better experience for customers, our staff, and participating merchants. Click here to learn more. We will be holding a Yiftee training session next week to show you how to process gift cards and answer questions about the transition.

All businesses within the Downtown Service District can participate! To join, scroll down to the bottom of the page and hit the blue “Apply” button.

SWVA Bee Festival 🐝 

Elmwood will buzz this Saturday for the SWVA Bee Festival! Enjoy pollination education, Kids’ Zone, food trucks, 40+ craft vendors, and more.

Gain Knowledge & Network

Registered Apprentice Open House 🏠️ 

Greater Roanoke Workforce Development Board (GRWDB) pleased to invite you to the Registered Apprenticeship Open House on Thursday, August 21 from 9am to 11am. This is an opportunity to stop by and connect with GRWDB staff to learn more about maximizing funding for existing Registered Apprenticeship programs and how to get involved.

For more information, please contact Toni McLawhorn at (540) 988-3937 or [email protected].

Events, Street Closures, & Parking

Downtown Events and Street Closures 🚧

The following street closures and associated events may affect Downtown traffic and business for the week of August 18 - 24.

  • Straight Street Youth Night on Friday, 8/22 and Saturday, 8/23on Luck Ave SW between 3rd St and 4th St

  • Delta Dental Party in Elmwood on Thursday, 8/21 in Elmwood Park

Additional closures:

  • Drainage Project — Find updates and closures here.

Upcoming Festivals, Concerts, & Events 🎉 

We’ve officially entered festival season! Whether you want to get involved or need to staff your business, mark your calendars for the following festivals and events.

Find Downtown Parking 🅿️

With more than 1,300 on-street spaces and 7,000+ off-street spaces, plenty of free or paid parking options exist.

DRI - Your Downtown Partner

Put DRI to work for you! 💼

Our mission is to make Downtown Roanoke the preferred place to Work, Live, and Play. As a Downtown business, you have a valuable FREE resource at your fingertips. Let us help share your story!

Website Listings on DowntownRoanoke.org - Our business listings often come up among the first in Google searches. Help us enhance your listing by providing us with vital information including website, phone number, description, hours, menus, and images.

Job Listings on DowntownRoanoke.org - Downtown Roanoke is the most vibrant workplace around and a destination for job seekers. Let us help get the word out when you’re hiring!

Event Listings on DowntownRoanoke.org - Our Event Calendar is THE place people go to find out what’s happening Downtown. Get your event in front of the audience you’re looking for.

Important Contacts 👤

Often businesses need phone numbers for government services, such as solid waste, permitting, etc., and other services, such as private parking and transportation.

Check out our list of frequently requested information!