Downtown Johnson City

A walkable, historic district shaped by generations of locals who’ve built businesses, raised families, and given this place its character. Connect Downtown Johnson City leads the effort to strengthen and grow downtown while protecting the spirit that makes it worth investing in—steady progress, rooted in who we are.

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DOWNTOWN JOHNSON CITY STATS

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275+ Businesses

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655,675+ Annual Visitors

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3,300,000+ Unique Visits

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87 Minutes per Visit

~ 275+ Businesses ~ 655,675+ Annual Visitors ~ 3,300,000+ Unique Visits ~ 87 Minutes per Visit

ABout Downtown Johnson City

Downtown Johnson City is a growing, active district shaped by small businesses, steady foot traffic, and a community that keeps choosing local. The numbers tell the story.

  • More than 275 businesses operate in the downtown district—shops, restaurants, services, studios, and professional offices that form the backbone of our local economy.

  • Over the last 12 months, Downtown Johnson City welcomed 655,675+ visitors with 3.3m visits, marking a 10% increase since 2022. People aren’t just stopping in—they’re staying. Visitors spend an average of 87 minutes exploring downtown, supporting local shops, dining, and enjoying everything the district offers.

  • The continued growth in activity, investment, and small-business development shows a district that’s gaining momentum year after year. Downtown isn’t just busy—it’s becoming a destination. The City of Johnson City has invested millions into flood mitigation and green spaces since 2010. Most recently they completed a $33m revitalization of the West Walnut Street District converting an industrial zone into one ready for modern mixed-use. Johnson City Development Authority has distributed hundreds of thousands of dollars in Facade projects and multiple TIF projects. The announcement of the $66m renovation of Downtown Centre and the John Sevier Building will be a boon to Downtown's continued success.

Launch your Business

Main Street Program
2025 Year in Review

In 2025, Connect Downtown Johnson City hosted 10 signature events and supported 105+ downtown events. With over 70k visitors coming to our hosted events, our events are changing the narrative of Downtown and supporting over 400+ vendors and small businesses throughout the year.

Events

11,147+ Main Street Days - St. Paddy's Attendees

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11,400+ Fridays After 5 Attendees

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10,500+ Main Street Days - Fall Attendees

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34,400+ Candyland Christmas Attendees

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11,147+ Main Street Days - St. Paddy's Attendees - 11,400+ Fridays After 5 Attendees - 10,500+ Main Street Days - Fall Attendees - 34,400+ Candyland Christmas Attendees -

In 2025, Downtown Johnson City saw over 20 new businesses and 5 expansions. Connect Downtown JC supported this through $34k in micro-grants, 152+ social media collaborations, and assisting businesses through online resources, navigating city processes, and launching with confidence.

Business Support

275+ Businesses Supported

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$34,400 Micro-Grants

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$45,000 Small Business Support Funding

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275+ Businesses Supported - $34,400 Micro-Grants - $45,000 Small Business Support Funding -

In 2025, Connect Downtown inventoried and launched a new digital map for every business and building in Downtown Johnson City. This data supported over $300k in Downtown Improvement Grants, $52k in Facade Grants, 30 new bike racks, and 7+ Paint the Vacant art installs.

District Support

498+ Parcels Inventoried

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$300,000 Downtown Improvement Grants

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$52,000 Facade Grants

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498+ Parcels Inventoried - $300,000 Downtown Improvement Grants - $52,000 Facade Grants -

Work With Us
Crowd of people walking through an outdoor street festival with vendors on both sides and a stage in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.
A woman and a young girl shopping for LEGO sets in a toy store, standing near shelves filled with various LEGO and other toy sets.
Sign for Johnson City, Tennessee with a mountain range in the background and trees in the foreground.

2026 is going to be an exciting year for Downtown Johnson City! With major private investments and continued public investments, Downtown will improve circulation, multi-modal transportation, and parking. Connect Downtown Johnson City will continue to act as a liaison between the City, Businesses, and Residents. From Quarterly meetings, Merchant meetups, small business support, micro-grants, and more signature events. Connect Downtown JC will create more cohesive district resources and tools to promote the district as a whole and support each individual.

What’s coming in 2026

Crowd at an outdoor street market with vendor tents, trees, and historic buildings in the background.

Connect Downtown Johnson City, Inc.

A colorful, stylized maple leaf with a streetlamp inside, next to the text "Main Street America" in white.

Our Mission:

To foster a thriving downtown ecosystem that is desirable for residents, businesses, and visitors by forging partnerships and facilitating community connections.

Our Vision:

The Connect Downtown Johnson City Board of Directors and its committees, strive to:

  • Foster a thriving and diverse storefront economy that supports Downtown Johnson City business community, excites visitors, and meets the needs of residents

  • Cultivate a lively and engaging Downtown atmosphere that identifies Downtown Johnson City as a destination for locals and tourists alike

  • Create a truly welcoming environment that enhances the experience of Downtown Johnson City’s visitors and residents

  • Increase CDJC’s organizational effectiveness and ability to deliver on its mission.

About:

Connect Downtown Johnson City is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization who serves as the Advisory Board for the Main Street Program of downtown Johnson City. By being a Tennessee Main Street Community and a National Main Street accredited program, there are many resources for small business owners, projects and public improvements for the downtown district. 

The Main Street Program for downtown Johnson City hosts several events throughout the year to create a vibrant and activated district. These events include: Fridays After 5, Sweetsie Trail, Main Street Days, Acoustic Autumns, Candy Land Christmas and much more!

This program wouldn't be successful without a supportive community, volunteers, and generous sponsors. If you are interested in sponsoring or even serving as an event or committee volunteer, please email info@downtownjctn.com

Our Partners

The logo for Bank of Tennessee with green text and a stylized outline of the state of Tennessee.
A colorful, stylized maple leaf with a streetlamp inside, next to the text "Main Street America" in black.
Decorative spring wreath with a white wooden bench inside and a Tennessee Main Street sign hanging below.
Logo for Visit Johnson City, Tennessee, featuring a mountain range, a large letter 'C', and stylized text with green, blue, and pink colors.
Logo of Johnson City Development Authority
The logo of Spark Plaza, featuring the words 'Spark Plaza' with an orange splash shape in the middle.

Our Board of Directors

  • Portrait of a smiling woman with long red hair, wearing a black long-sleeve top and large white earrings, standing against a dark background.

    Lora Eshbach

    Board Chair

  • A smiling man with a beard and short hair, wearing a grey sweater over a checkered shirt, against a black background.

    Andrew McElroy

    Board Vice Chair

  • A smiling middle-aged man with gray hair, wearing a blue button-up shirt, standing against a black background.

    George Cross

    Board Treasurer/Secretary

  • A man smiling outdoors in front of a building, wearing a black jacket over a blue plaid shirt.

    David Nelson

    Board Member

  • A woman with dark wavy hair smiling, wearing a beige top and black blazer, against a dark background.

    Brooke Tittle

    Board Member

  • A smiling man with glasses and tattoos, wearing a brown button-up shirt, standing against a black background.

    Cody Hubbard

    Board Member

  • A woman with long brown hair, wearing a black blazer and smiling with a dark background.

    Cortney Stewart

    Board Member

  • A smiling man with short dark hair wearing a plaid button-up shirt and jeans, standing against a dark background.

    James Tinch

    Board Member

  • A young man with short dark hair and fair skin wearing a light-colored, striped button-up shirt poses against a black background.

    Josh Russle-Fritch

    Board Member

  • Young woman with long, wavy brown hair wearing a beige and white striped sweater, smiling at the camera against a dark background.

    Mckenzie Ketron

    Ex-Officio

  • A man with a beard wearing a blue plaid button-down shirt, smiling at the camera, standing against a black background.

    Alec Castro

    Ex-Officio

Interested In partnering with Connect Downtown Johnson City?

P.O. Box 1851
Johnson City, TN 37605