Flip This Town

Flip This Town started as a book by downtown revitalization expert Ron Drake, and has now transformed into a movement that is sweeping communities across the country. Join Ron Drake and his partner, Main Street Manager Kristi Trevarrow as they set out to restore the heart of America, one downtown at a time.

Episode #315 - Downtown Marion, SC 09/22/2020

Episode #315 - Downtown Marion, SC Ron's last consultation turned out to be his best! Listen to the excitement coming from the focus group on the last day of his trip as they discuss projects already starting in Downtown Marion, SC. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/16113506

Episode #314 - The Next Chapter 07/23/2020

Episode #314 - The Next Chapter Life is always changing. Flip This Town is changing too. In this episode, Ron shares how he is beginning the next chapter in his life with his next restoration project in Port Maria, Jamaica, in what will be one of the last episodes of the Flip This Town Podcast. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/15327305

Episode #313 - Locals on the Front Line, Restaurant Recovery 05/20/2020

Episode #313 - Locals on the Front Line, Restaurant Recovery As we start down the road to recovery, we know there will be challenges for many businesses. Restaurants are the lifeblood of many downtowns and are important to the communities they serve. In this episode, Ron & Kristi welcome Chef Chris Johnson, owner of The Meeting House to share his perspective on what restaurants need to do to remain viable and ways they can inspire their customers to come back. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/14494964

Episode #312 - Locals on the Front Line, Siloam Springs, AR 05/12/2020

Episode #312 - Locals on the Front Line, Siloam Springs, AR We all know that this current crisis will have a significant economic impact on downtowns, but what about the residents? Ron and Kristi welcome Christina Drake, Matt & Amanda Orcutt and Yoon Kim from Ron's hometown of Siloam Springs, Arkansas to share their stories of how things have changed since this crisis caused a "vibrancy on pause" and what comes next. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/14390081

Episode #311 - Locals on the Front Line - Prescott, AZ 04/13/2020

Episode #311 - Locals on the Front Line - Prescott, AZ Ron & Kristi are proud to welcome Prescott, AZ business owners Candy Hull, Clothes Hound Clothing Company; Sheri Shaw, Back Alley Wine Bar and Audra Yamamoto, Granite Mountain Brewing to talk about the creative ways they are keeping their businesses going during these challenging times. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/13975253

Episode #310 - Locals on the Front Line, Downtown Rochester 04/02/2020

Episode #310 - Locals on the Front Line, Downtown Rochester This is the first episode in our new Flip This Town Limited Series, Locals on the Front Line, which shares stories of inspiration and hope from downtowns across the country. In this episode, Ron and Kristi welcome Sue Keels, General Manager of the Royal Park Hotel and Hillary Heacock, Owner of Studio One Salon, both located in Downtown Rochester, Michigan, to share their stories and challenges they are experiencing right now. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/13817678

Episode #309 - COVID-19 Will Not Destroy Us, It Will Make Us Better 03/18/2020

Episode #309 - COVID-19 Will Not Destroy Us, It Will Make Us Better Ron and Kristi are no strangers to extreme challenges. In today's podcast, they will share ideas on how to overcome the unprecedented challenges which face small businesses during the current crisis. We believe we will all come out stronger and this podcast will inspire you to believe the same! /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/13600439

Episode #308 - America's Main Streets Contest 2020 03/02/2020

Episode #308 - America's Main Streets Contest 2020 And the search is on to find America's Main Street! In this episode, Ron and Kristi welcome Bill Brunelle of Independent We Stand and Wayne Carter, Executive Director of Main Street DeLand, the winner of the 2017 America's Main Streets Contest to discuss the contest and both the short and long term benefits of winning this prestigious award! /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/13371953

Episode #307 - The Art of Downtown Collaboration 02/10/2020

Episode #307 - The Art of Downtown Collaboration In this episode, Ron & Kristi welcome Stephanie Rizzo, Executive Director of the Historic Marion Revitalization Association in Marion, SC to talk about the value of downtown collaboration. From creating small business partnerships and fundraising to helping neighboring towns by sharing ideas and inspirations, this is one podcast you'll want to listen to again and again! /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/13095704

Episode #306 - Rise & Pies 01/21/2020

Episode #306 - Rise & Pies In this episode, Ron & Kristi welcome Denise Schieffer, owner of Rise & Pies in Downtown Perry, OK. She shares the journey that led her to open her business and reflects on the joys and lessons learned one year later. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/12832043

Episode #305 - Main Street Success Story, Siloam Springs 12/03/2019

Episode #305 - Main Street Success Story, Siloam Springs How did a small town in Arkansas become known as one of the best in America? Siloam Springs, Ron's hometown, has experienced tremendous growth and success in the downtown core. On this episode, Ron & Kristi have the privilege of interviewing Meredith Bergstrom, former MS Director and current Director Kelsey Howard. You'll enjoy hearing their stories of revitalization and partnerships that created the success story that Siloam Springs is today. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/12266687

Episode #304 - Ivory Bill Brewing 11/13/2019

Episode #304 - Ivory Bill Brewing I think we all can agree that micro breweries are not a fad that is going away anytime soon. Is it possible that these small batch breweries can do more than create great beer? We think they can! Opening up a brewery in small town is difficult, but with passion and hard work anything is achievable. In this episode, Ron visits Casey & Dorothy Letellier, owners of Ivory Bill Brewing, located in his hometown of Siloam Springs, AR at Siloam Springs' first brewery to tell their story. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/12024647

Episode #303 - Coworking Downtown 10/31/2019

Episode #303 - Coworking Downtown Coworking spaces are more than a trend for downtowns, as many jobs are no longer confined to a traditional office space. In this episode, Ron & Kristi are joined by the owners of WorkIT Coworking Center in Stillwater, OK to discuss the many benefits, not only for their clients, but for their downtown too. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/11859272

Episode #302 - Downtown Rock Stars Q & A 10/16/2019

Episode #302 - Downtown Rock Stars Q & A While on a consultation and keynote presentation in Nebraska, Ron had the opportunity to moderate a panel of downtown rock stars that are making a difference in their communities. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/11664488

Episode #301 - An Unexpected Journey 10/03/2019

Episode #301 - An Unexpected Journey Since our first episode, we've said that restoration is our story and have proudly shared stories of great things happening in towns across America. This season kicks off with a different story of restoration as Ron shares his personal and unexpected restoration journey with his own battle with cancer. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/11503856

Episode #224 - Medford, Oklahoma 09/03/2019

Episode #224 - Medford, Oklahoma Meet Medford, Oklahoma, population 996 and the location of Ron's latest 3-Day Community Kickstart Visit. In this podcast, Ron, Kristi and several of Medford's community stakeholders share their thoughts on the challenges and opportunities identified during Ron's visit, and what's next for Medford. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/11110478

Episode #223 - Expose It! 07/22/2019

Episode #223 - Expose It! By popular demand, Ron and Kristi dive into a topic mentioned on many past podcasts - Expose It! By exposing the natural elements of a building, focusing on the simplest of designs, you can discover the most practical form of preservation (and economical too)! Looking for the "Cool Factor" for your project? Then start with this podcast! /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/10613987

Episode #222 - Main Street Wellington 07/08/2019

Episode #222 - Main Street Wellington This week, Ron & Kristi were on the road to visit Main Street Wellington, Ohio, winners of Independent We Stand's America's Main Street Contest. Tune in to listen to Ron & Kristi's ideas and opportunities identified during the visit, plus how this award will positively impact the future of Main Street Wellington. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/10440338

Episode #221 - Placemaking: Keeping It Simple 06/03/2019

Episode #221 - Placemaking: Keeping It Simple Placemaking doesn't have to mean shipping container parks and splash pads. On the contrary, the most effective placemaking projects are those that keep it simple. In this episode, Ron and Kristi share their experiences and examples of highly impactful placemaking projects that can be done with a small budget and a lot of community creativity. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/10029092

Episode #220 - Fairview, Oklahoma 05/20/2019

Episode #220 - Fairview, Oklahoma Meet Fairview, Oklahoma - a small town with incredible potential! This week's episode was recorded live from Ron's latest 3-Day Community Kickstart in Fairview. Meet the amazing group that is spearheading their revitalization effort with positivity and enthusiasm, plus all the opportunities Ron discovered during his visit. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/9855749

Episode #219 - Independent We Stand 04/29/2019

Episode #219 - Independent We Stand This week, we welcome Bill Brunelle of Independent We Stand, an incredible organization that is all about independently owned businesses and downtown organizations across the country reaching out to their communities and educating their neighbors about the many benefits of "buying local". In this episode, we dive into the importance of supporting local businesses and the details for the Top 25 Quarterfinalists in the America's Main Street Contest. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/9574139

Episode #218 - Bill Fontana 04/15/2019

Episode #218 - Bill Fontana Recorded live at the Main Street Now Conference in Seattle, Ron and Kristi welcome Bill Fontana, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Downtown Center. Tune in as they explore the incredible things happening in downtowns across Pennsylvania, and Bill's insights on what's next for Main Street. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/9401867

Episode #217 - Ben Muldrow 04/01/2019

Episode #217 - Ben Muldrow Recorded live at the Main Street Now Conference in Seattle, Ron and Kristi welcome national downtown branding expert Ben Muldrow of Arnett Muldrow & Associates. Tune in as they discuss the current state of Main Street communities across the country, as well as challenges and opportunities for the future. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/9225320

Episode #216 - Why Downtowns Need Craft Beer 03/06/2019

Episode #216 - Why Downtowns Need Craft Beer Craft beer is no longer a cottage industry, but rather an expected asset in any vibrant downtown. Tune in to this throwback episode as Ron & Kristi explore the evolution of craft beer, breweries and tap rooms as third places and how they are reshaping communities at a grass roots level. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/8904986

Episode #215 - Flip This Town - From The Beginning 02/19/2019

Episode #215 - Flip This Town - From The Beginning Ever wonder how Flip This Town started? This week, we're re-releasing Episode #1, including new commentary from Ron and Kristi. We've met so many people on our journey to downtown restoration, but many don't know our backstory. So sit back, relax and enjoy the humble beginnings of Flip This Town! /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/8702432

Episode #214 - Haylie The Hero 02/11/2019

Episode #214 - Haylie The Hero Looking to keep your 20-somethings from leaving your downtown, or hoping to attract others? In this week's podcast, Ron and Kristi welcome Haylie Smith, a 22 year old dynamo dedicated to making a difference in her town of Prescott, AZ. We dive into what experiences millennials are looking for and how downtowns can attract that ever elusive market. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/8604623

Episode #213 - Prescott, Arizona 02/04/2019

Episode #213 - Prescott, Arizona This week's episode takes us to Prescott, AZ, the location of Ron's latest 3-Day Consultation and Community Visioning Session. Prescott is filled with limitless potential, and great people to make it happen. Listen in as key leaders in the community discuss what they have learned this week, as well as Ron's recommendations for taking the next steps. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/8515766

Episode #212 - Main Street Heroes - John Marsh, Redemptification 01/28/2019

Episode #212 - Main Street Heroes - John Marsh, Redemptification In this episode, Ron and Kristi welcome John Marsh, owner of Marsh Collective and host of the podcast, Redemptification. Hear his story of unearthing beauty from brokeness in his hometown of Opelika, Alabama and discover how this entrepreneur and community visionary is making a difference in towns across the country. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/8426624

Episode #211 - Main Street Heroes, Michelle Taylor 01/14/2019

Episode #211 - Main Street Heroes, Michelle Taylor In downtowns big and small across the country, you will find every day people accomplishing extraordinary things for the good of their community. We like to call them Main Street Heroes, and we are excited to share their stories in this new podcast series. Meet Michelle Taylor: Michelle loves family, loves life and loves her hometown of Perry, Oklahoma. If her story doesn't inspire you, maybe you should have your heart checked. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/8252669

Episode #210 - How To Hire A Downtown Consultant - Part 2 12/17/2018

Episode #210 - How To Hire A Downtown Consultant - Part 2 Ron & Kristi are continuing the conversation about hiring a downtown consultant. In this episode they explore the why of hiring a consultant, setting goals & expectations and how it can add value and credibility to your organization. /episode/index/show/flipthistown/id/7953539

Flip This Town

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