Main Street Washington office moves across square

WASHINGTON — Main Street Washington’s office is no longer located on Main Street, but leaders say they’re fine with the change. The organization completed its move into a new office space shared with Boho Bailey on South Iowa Avenue early this year.

Main Street Washington Director Samantha Meyer said the move out of the Chamber of Commerce’s welcome center would help establish MSW as a distinct entity.

“There’s been such a misconception over the years of what Main Street is, why they’re different from the Chamber, who they are, what they do,” she said. “When we were in the same location and a lot of our events kind of overlap, there was just a real confusion of where (donors’) money is going, who they paid … this was a way to really make that separation visible.”

A modest entry area contains Meyer’s office, and an array of supplies still being sorted after the move. A back area shared with Boho Bailey serves as the organization’s meeting area, as needed.

Accessibility represents another upside of the new location. Meyer’s previous office was upstairs at the welcome center, where it was the furthest door from the entryway. But in the space on South Iowa, her desk is visible from the front door, mere paces away.

There’s no longer a need to speak with a front desk clerk: Meyer is her own receptionist.

“I love the volunteers that run the front desk at the Chamber office, ” she said. “But it is nice to be the one that’s here. I take the messages.”

The newfound reachability goes both ways. Meyer said the sidewalk-level, street-facing window and door offered her quick access to the rest of Main Street’s Historical Preservation District, and myriad opportunities to catch people walking by.

“People can pop in, because they walk by and go, ‘Oh, Sam’s in,’ so I’ve seen more people in the past month because they go, ‘Oh, there you are,’” she said. “On the flip side, I can see people walk past, so I can pop my head out and say, ‘Hey, I have a question for you!’ and I love that.”

The Chamber of Commerce says Meyer’s old office space is up for rent, along other sections of the Bryson Block Building, going for a monthly rate of $300-$600, according to a newsletter that said the workspaces came with shared meeting spaces, Wi-Fi, and staffed reception.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com