Downtown Kearney: The Bricks is the core retail district in Kearney. Centrally located southeast of Highway 30 and 2nd Avenue, The Bricks is the destination for shopping, dining and culture. Old Town: Kearney Junction is the original business district in Kearney. Located one block east of 2nd Avenue and south of East Railroad Street, Old Town is home to unique, local retail and a rich history of the Kearney’s relationship to the railroad.
“We believe that a prosperous and sustainable community is only as healthy as its core. Heritage Nebraska’s Main Street Program consists of a network of communities across the state linked together through a preservation-based strategy for rebuilding the places and strengthening the businesses that make sustainable, vibrant, and unique communities. Affiliated with the National Trust for Historic Perseveration’s Main Street Center, Nebraska’s Main Street communities tap into the collective wisdom and experience of more that 1,500 state, regional, and local programs across the country.”
The Main Street Kearney program was established in 2010, by the Downtown Improvement Board, as a stand alone non-profit organization. The purpose of the Main Street program is to encourage economic revitalization through historic preservation. The program functions through four committees. The Organization Committee is responsible for fundraising, the management of volunteers and communications. The Promotion Committee works on image development, special events and retail promotion to encourage shopping the district. The Design Committee targets concerns for infrastructure and the physical transformation of the Main Street district. This includes development of guidelines for building restoration standards and overseeing façade projects. The Economic Restructuring Committee is responsible to redefine the district’s identity and develop strategies to nurture new businesses and services that will produce that climate. The total program is intended to make downtown Kearney an area of pleasant shopping, dining, economic activity, entertainment and living.
Download the Historic Downtown Kearney Walking tour to your MP3 player or burn to a CD and take part in an interactive tour of The Bricks. The audio tour is under 15 minutes and cover ten blocks. It takes no more than one hour at a leisurely pace.
Downtown Kearney: The Bricks offers some of the finest shopping and educational experiences in the Midwest. Promoted by the Kearney Downtown Improvement Board, this historic district features unique boutiques, jewelry stores, men’s and women’s apparel, furniture stores, fine dining, specialty pubs, and nightlife experiences. Not only is the retail community healthy, but there are a variety of service-related businesses that support the needs of the community, as well as the Museum of Nebraska Art (MONA) and the Kearney Area Children’s Museum. The vibrancy of The Bricks is a direct reflection of the tremendous community support and pride in Kearney.