SRA launches Storefront Showdown holiday decoration contest

Downtown Selma is getting festive this season with the launch of the Storefront Showdown, a holiday decorating contest designed to brighten the city’s historic core while offering property owners a chance to invest in their buildings. 

The competition, open to businesses and property owners within the Selma Redevelopment Authority footprint, encourages participants to decorate their storefronts and submitphotos for judging.  

SRA Director Sarah Aghedo said two categories of prizes are available. Occupied buildings winners will receive reimbursable funding of up to $1,500 for facade improvements such as painting or new awnings. Vacant properties with decorated spaces can win up to $500 to support revitalization efforts.  

“This is really about giving people a boost,” Aghedo explained. “We want to help property owners put their best foot forward and make downtown more inviting.” 

In addition to the Showdown, the SRA continues to offer its Facade Enhancement Grant, a matching program that reimburses 50 percent of approved repair costs, up to $5,000. Aghedo reminds that projects must be reviewed by the Selma Historic Development Commission to ensure compatibility with the city’s historic district. 

The SRA also recently hosted its first Eggs and Issues breakfast, coordinated by Economic Vitality Committee chair Jimmy Coleman. The event brought business owners together with Mayor Johnny Moss, fostering dialogue on shared challenges and opportunities.  

Selma is currently an aspiring Main Street Alabama community, working toward official designation by 2026. The program requires monthly benchmarks across four focus areas: promotions, organization, design and economic vitality. 

“This roadmap ensures communities are serious about revitalization,” Aghedo noted. “It’s about incremental improvements that add up over time.” 

Through Main Street training sessions, Aghedo said she has been able to visit communities across Alabama, from Foley to Jasper, observing strategies that could be replicated locally. Common themes include clean streets and welcoming gathering spaces. 

Events like the MACAS Mural Festival at Phoenix Park already showcase Selma’s potential to create vibrant, community-centered spaces, according to Aghedo. Such efforts can help restore the sense of connection that once defined downtown life. 

“Downtowns are the heart of any community,” Aghedo said. “If we preserve what makes Selma unique and create places where people want to gather, the long-term payoff will be enormous.”