Howell, already a Great American Main Street Award community, is now topping the list of USA Today’s 2024 Best Main Street Readers’ Choice Awards.
Kate Litwin, who heads up Howell Main Street Inc. and the Howell Downtown Development Authority, said the “incredible honor” means a lot as it was “voted on by the very people that we serve daily.”
“I couldn’t be prouder of this accomplishment because it signifies the genuine affection our residents have for this community,” Litwin said. “(It) signifies the genuine affection our residents have for this community, and signifies that Howell truly is a great place to live, work, play and stay.”
The process began with 20 nominations of communications that are curated by a panel of subject matter experts and USA Today’s 10 Best editors before being voted on by the public during a 28-day period during which people can vote once a day. At the end of the voting, the nominee with the most eligible votes wins the Readers’ Choice for their respective category.
Mayor Bob Ellis said he was “blown away” by the community’s response to the poll.
“It is truly testament to the people that work hard to make this community great, from City staff, our Main Street volunteers, the DDA, the local Chamber of Commerce, our amazing merchants, and many other service organizations,” Ellis said. “This achievement could not have happened without them.”
The top 10 winners for Best Main Street are ranked as follows:
1. Howell, Michigan
2. Emporia, Kansas
3. Ogden, Utah
4. DeLand, Florida
5. McMinnville, Oregon
6. Bellevue, Pennsylvania
7. Ellicottville, New York
8. Grand Junction, Colorado
9. Hickory, North Carolina
10. Haddonfield, New Jersey
