Hastings Main Street Shines As Small Business Hub For Local Entrepreneurs
ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida (April 23, 2025)—Less than 10 years after facing much uncertainty, downtown Hastings is once again becoming a thriving community anchored in agriculture and the spirit of local entrepreneurship. Hastings Main Street, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has a mission to revitalize the downtown area, foster growth and prosperity, and strengthen the community while maintaining its historic rural character. Its approach includes welcoming locally-owned small businesses into the downtown corridor to spur economic growth while retaining Main Street’s charm.
“The revitalization of downtown Hastings is a culmination of many collaborative efforts,” says Jena Dennis, Chair of the Hastings Main Street Board of Directors. “The property owners and lessees have made transformative updates while keeping the historic charm. The board’s efforts to recruit locally-owned small businesses have been extremely successful. And, of course, the community, who show so much support by patronizing downtown, attending events, and continuing to advocate for Hastings.”
“Owning a coffee shop wasn’t a part of my plan, but it’s turned out to be such a blessing for my family,” says Chamane Williams, who owns Hastings Coffee Co. with her husband, Marcus, and their five children. “We love Hastings for the community, and our shop is our way of giving back to this amazing community. It’s a place where people can come together, feel welcome, and get to know their neighbors, my family included.”
The unprecedented success of the downtown revitalization effort is quite astounding. Hastings went from having 80 percent of the properties vacant in 2023 to a whopping 90 percent occupied in 2025. Downtown Hastings joined the Florida Main Street Program in 2024, part of the National Main Street Center. Florida Main Street is a technical assistance program that aims to revitalize historic downtowns and encourage economic development within the context of historic preservation. Other wins come from the announcement of a new First Coast Technical College campus, the anticipated opening of The Venue, an events venue space on Main Street, in Fall 2025, and an investment by St. Johns County in the form of the Hastings Community Center and Library Project.
On the horizon for Historic Downtown Hastings is the 2nd Annual Cabbage, Potato, and Bacon Festival. Taking place on April 26th and April 27th, the hallmark event is the city’s love letter to its agricultural roots and historical moniker, Potato Capital of Florida. Hastings will also celebrate the opening of a new community pocket park at 107 East Cochran Avenue, supported by Rotary International and the small business community.
ABOUT HASTINGS MAIN STREET: Hastings Main Street is a community-driven non-profit dedicated to improving historic downtown Hastings and the surrounding communities by engaging residents, activating vacant spaces to support small business growth, maintaining its historic rural character, and creating a welcoming environment for all residents and visitors. Photos to accompany the press release can be found here. To learn more, visit HastingsFL.org and follow along on social media @HastingsMainStreetInc
