New Main Street Ravenna director hopes to grow business downtown

Arasin Hughes, the new executive director of Main Street Ravenna, said she's ready to help grow business in the county seat.

"From our roots is where we grow," she said. "Progress is wonderful, but it's important not to forget where we came from."

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In her new role, she will oversee programs such as the Downtown District Plan and the Main Street Mile, a one-mile loop of downtown that focuses on the businesses, restaurants and history of downtown..

Hughes, 29, grew up in Hubbard, where she gained an appreciation for community in a small town. After graduating from high school, she went to the University of Toledo, where she earned a bachelor's degree in school counseling. After graduation, she went to Kent State University, where she earned a master's degree in school counseling.

But in 2014, she got a job at the Jack Kohl agency, working her way up from secretary to property manager. She bought a house in Ravenna, and "put down roots."

She also had worked with elementary school students and with adults with developmental and cognitive disabilities, a job that she said taught her patience.

Main Street Ravenna started in 2018. The organization became a Nationally Accredited Main Street Program in its first two years of existence, something that is difficult to achieve, according to Heritage Ohio, which manages Main Street programs in the state.

The organization, nationally accredited through Heritage Ohio and the National Main Street Program, has an office located at 267 West Main St. in Ravenna.

Main Street initiatives include the Downtown District Plan, which is a sort of master plan for the downtown area, a mural grant and multiple downtown events, including Main Street Family Fridays and Savory and Sweet in the County Seat and a Building and Fa?ade grant opportunity for downtown building owners. The organization obtained the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Grant for the renovations of the Riddle Block 9.

Hughes said she was always told that Kent was a college town that drew younger people, while Ravenna had a more mature population that included graduate students. But in the past eight years, she said, she's watched Ravenna's business community grow to include a movie theater and several related businesses.

She said her psychology degree will help her as she works to grow business in Ravenna.

"In order to bring in those businesses, you need to know why they'd want to come here," she said.

Reporter Diane Smith can be reached at [email protected] or 330-298-1139.

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This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Main Street Ravenna director hopes to grow downtown business