Hastings Main Street Helps Revitalize Community
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, according to a media release. One of the driving forces behind the change is Hastings Main Street, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, with 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 release states
“The revitalization of downtown Hastings is a culmination of many collaborative efforts,” says Jena Dennis, chair of the Hastings Main Street Board of Directors, in the release. “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.”
Charmane Williams, owner of Hastings Coffee Co., said running a business is a way to help the community grow and thrive.
“Owning a coffee shop wasn’t a part of my plan, but it’s turned out to be such a blessing for my family,” she said in the release. “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.”
Hastings went from having 80% of the properties vacant in 2023 to a 90% occupancy rate in 2025, according to the release.
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, the release states.
