Posted via CourierPostOnline.com:

Joanne Mortimer remembers the hustle and bustle of Main Street in her lifelong hometown of Maple Shade. Mortimer, 59, said that changed about 40 years ago when malls were on the rise.
But the chairwoman of the town's "renaissance committee" believes the street can come back to life.
"I think it can be revitalized with the right stores coming in and a place for kids to go," she said.
Maple Shade's business association, a Main Street community group, township officials and other volunteers are working to build the downtown resident base, attract new retail and lure other businesses.
Maple Shade, Woodbury and Medford are three tri-county towns turning to the development of a cornerstone building to be a catalyst for main street regeneration. Other towns, such as Moorestown and Mount Holly, are also developing plans to spruce up their key avenue.
Successful main streets often define their towns.
They can stimulate and stabilize a town's economy, decrease property tax burdens, boost housing market values, create local jobs and attract and retain residents.
But experts say a constant struggle is shared among leaders who are pursuing their communities' unique main street identity.
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