$100 Placemaking Ideas for Tiny Towns

Too often, placemaking sounds expensive. That’s just because people talk about expensive consultants, fancy masterplans and big projects like they do in big cities.

In tiny towns, placemaking doesn’t have to cost much at all. My local economic developer Jeremy Zeller says placemaking simply means making the kind of place you want to live. And most of that happens when you bring people together. You can do a lot of this cheap. Really cheap. Like, under $100 cheap.

Make it look vibrant

Empty storefronts don’t have to look empty. Fill those windows with anything that shows your town is alive and active.

In Hollis, Oklahoma, they filled windows with giant paper snowflakes. You remember how to cut those, right? Add some fabric drapes behind them, and you’ve got a winter display. I bet you can think of a dozen ways to get some cheap drapes. (yard sales, thrift stores…)

Or grab some paint markers and get some artsy person to hand-draw designs right on the glass. I’ve seen this in Waynoka, Oklahoma and Kelso, Washington. How many windows could you fill with $100 worth of paint markers? Or raid your closet (or your parents’ closet) for shoe polish and start there.

If you can get a hold of some deep display windows in a retail building, use them to showcase work by local artists or students from the school. East Brady, Pennsylvania did this. Or create a mini museum in those deep windows. I know you’ve got cool old stuff sitting in storage at the museum. Bring it out where people can see it! I’ve seen this used in Caldwell, Kansas, and Castle Rock, Washington.

Make it look welcoming

You can paint almost anything, and it makes a huge difference. And you don’t have to spend $100 to do it.

In Webster City, Iowa, the town ran a cleanup day, and the mayor collected all the old leftover paint people dropped off. OK, some of it was no longer usable, so they disposed of it properly. Then they used the decent stuff to paint the streets near the school. They had to get creative with the colors they ended up with, but it worked.

You can paint sidewalks (Warren County, Iowa did this), utility poles (Waynoka, Oklahoma), boarded up windows (Caldwell, Kansas), and even parking bollards (Woodland, Washington). A little paint goes a long way toward making a place feel cared for. Bonus points when you get it cheap or free.

Make hangout spaces

Set out tables and chairs, like Kendrick, Idaho. Picnic tables right downtown, like Uniontown, Washington, in the photo above. Even rocking chairs like Limon, Colorado. Hang some string lights. Provide a trash can so people can help keep it clean, then empty that can often.

Add outdoor games. Cornhole or bags. Giant checkers. Yard-sized Jenga. Enid, Oklahoma has done this. Give people a reason to stop, play, and talk to each other.

Fill empty spaces

You’ve got empty buildings or vacant lots? Of course you do. Turn them into temporary gathering spots.

Create a pop-up gallery in an empty storefront (Goffstown, New Hampshire). Host an arts and crafts sale (Sayre, Pennsylvania). Set up markets in parking lots or any open space you can get permission to use. I’ve seen examples from Guymon, Oklahoma, and McKee, Kentucky.

These don’t have to be permanent. Best to start temporary and learn as you go.

You can start now

None of these ideas require a year of planning, or a big budget. You might not even need permission, or not very much permission. You definitely need people willing to show up and do something, even if it’s just you.

That’s placemaking. Not expensive consultants or elaborate plans. Just making your town the kind of place you want to live.

If you want more ideas like these and photos, Deb and I put together a video called Cheap Downtown Placemaking Ideas. It’s $9 and comes with a downloadable handout packed with practical ideas you can use right away.

What could you do this week with what you already have?