Become A Downtown Hometown Hero!

Our Work

All of DMI’s initiatives and programs are community-led and volunteer-driven, leveraging the passion and expertise of many talented individuals who love, live, or work here in Middletown, Ohio.  In 2023 alone, DMI’s Board of Directors, staff and our army of volunteers have given over 4,084 hours of service, valued at more than $122,322 in support of Downtown.

  • Programs:  Microloans, Takin it to the Streets Mural beautification in partnership with the Art Central Foundation, DORA, Grow with Google, new business onboarding

  • Initiatives:  Seasonal Calendar campaigns like Very Merry Middletown, ribbon cuttings, DMI bucks

  • Events:  First Fridays, Women’s Wine and Chocolate Walk, Small Business Saturday, Dog Days, Hocus Pocus Halloween, and Thunderfest. Plus, we’ve served as the fiscal agent for additional events including PRIDE, Hops in the Hangar, and Port Middletown Arts & Music Festival.

Meet our Staff and All-volunteer Board of Directors

  • The DMI staff is made up of highly talented and passionate people trained in historic preservation, economic development, urban planning, and information management:

  • Our Board of Directors is 100% volunteer-based and includes local business owners, members of local organizations, members of Middletown City government, and residents of Middletown.  In addition to providing their expert guidance, Board Members roll up their sleeves with the rest of our volunteers to help with DMI sponsored events.

A Healthy Downtown is Key to a Strong Hometown Community in Middletown, Ohio

We passionately believe our historic downtown is important because it is the heart of Middletown — and having a healthy heart is essential to having a strong hometown community and a strong city.   Middletown needs an army of “Downtown Hometown Heroes” to work together to create a unique downtown where people want to live, work and play.

People are drawn to fun, lively, walkable downtowns filled with quaint shops , locally owned restaurants providing a variety of dining options (like Primo Italian Steakhouse, Mz Jade’s Soul Food Restaurant, Steel City Pizza, and Triple Moon Coffee), bars, a distillery, and breweries with distinct vibes (like West Central Wine, Merkel’s Tavern on Central, White Dog Distilling, N.E.W. Ales, or Gravel Road),  and a multitude of venues to soak in art and history (like the Pendleton Art Center, Art Central Foundation, the Middletown Arts Center, Lyric Theatre, and the Sorg Opera House). Find a full list of businesses on the visit tab.

A vibrant downtown benefits the entire Middletown community -- improving all our lives. That’s because people flock to communities with vibrant downtowns.  Property values may rise because people want to live in towns where one-of-a-kind shops, venues, restaurants, and bars are only a short walk or drive away.  The local economy thrives, and new businesses want to move in. Young people don’t have to leave to find jobs or entertainment.

Become A DMI Volunteer

We invite you to join us and become part of our army of “Downtown Hometown Heroes”.  You can support our mission financially through the DMI Annual Support Campaign, through volunteerism, and by sponsoring or attending events that are held Downtown.

By supporting DMI you are joining us to build a strong Middletown Hometown Community!