Hampden Village Main Street (HVMS) is a volunteer- based group, whose sole purpose is to help ensure the long-term economic prosperity of the Hampden commercial district while ensuring the preservation of Hampden’s original architectural style. HVMS came into being in 2000 because the residents and merchants of the Hampden community recognized that the economic strength of the commercial district has a direct effect on the health and livability of the total community.

HVMS’s approach is based on the nationally recognized Main Street program developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation over 20 years ago. The Main Street Center has been working with communities across the country to revitalize their historic or traditional commercial areas. Based in historic preservation, the Main Street approach was developed to save historic commercial architecture and the fabric of American communities’ built environment but has also become a powerful economic tool. The Main Street approach is a practical strategy to economic revitalization scaled to a community’s local resources and conditions. And because it is a locally driven program, all initiative stems from local issues and concerns.

The Main Street program’s success is based on a comprehensive strategy of work in four broad areas called the Main Street Four Point Approach and is comprised of the following four committees: Design, Promotion, Organization and Economic Restructuring.

	The Design Committee works to enhance the visual quality of the commercial environment by working with local merchants on façade improvements. They also are responsible for the approval of matching façade improvement grants to eligible businesses.
	The Promotions Committee works to create an awareness of the community for businesses, residents, shoppers and tourists and sponsors local events such as the Hon Fest and the Halloween Monster Bash.
	The Organization Committee works to create an information network and promote the local Main Street organization.
	And lastly, the Economic Restructuring Committee works to recruit and maintain the current economic base of businesses.