Washington, DC—North Capitol Main Street, Inc. (NCMS) announced today that it is launching Designed for $ales, an initiative to assist small business owners in making affordable interior design changes to appeal to changing neighborhood demographics in the underserved communities along the North Capitol Street corridor. Renowned local design firm Celeste E. Davis Inc. is partnering with NCMS on the project.

“I’m thrilled to be participating in a neighborhood-based economic revitalization project like Designed for $ales,” said Celeste Davis. “I especially look forward to working with local entrepreneurs to show them how good design can help achieve business objectives— like increased sales and an expanded customer base. Good design translates an owner’s vision into three-dimensional marketing statements that increase the success of their business.”

To participate in Designed for $ales, a business must be located in the NCMS service area and have less than $500,000 in sales per year. Each business owner must be willing to contribute a minimum of $500 for the cost of improvements. In return, NCMS will gather data on residents’ product/service needs, fund some design improvement costs, advertise the business on NCMS’ website, and host a “Before and After” event at the business location for residents.

“Designed for $ales is a partnership in entrepreneurship,” said NCMS President Pat Mitchell. “Our goal is to improve a store’s customer appeal by making better use of layout, updating displays, and showcasing new or existing products. In turn, we expect these changes to help our local businesses increase sales by better meeting the needs of residents.”

NCMS, Inc. is a 501c(3) nonprofit corporation founded in 2003 with the primary purpose of serving as a catalyst for neighborhood commercial revitalization. Specifically, this volunteer-driven organization was established to revitalize the North Capitol Street area's historically and culturally important neighborhood commercial corridors. NCMS, Inc. follows the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street approach to economic revitalization, which focuses on incremental change and self-help.

North Capitol Main Street, Inc. · P.O. Box 90044 · Washington , DC 20090