Inside Main Street’s Growth with Matt Kendall, President of the Main Street District

Main Street wasn’t always the vibrant heart of Columbia, SC that it is today.In this episode of The Soda Citizen Podcast, Brad Allen and Mary Lane Sloan sit down with Matt Kendall, Founding President and CEO of the Main Street District, to talk about the 25-year transformation of downtown Columbia and what’s coming next.From nearly empty streets and closed storefronts to Soda City Market, student housing towers, luxury hotels, and major mixed-use developments, Matt shares how strategic investment, residential growth, and community events reshaped the city’s core.We discuss:How downtown Columbia changed over the last two decadesThe impact of Soda City MarketThe rise of student and market-rate housingNew projects like the Grand Bohemian HotelWhy “shopping bag retail” is the next focusFuture development opportunities and vertical growthThe role of Finlay Park and the riverfrontWhether Columbia could support professional sportsIf you care about where Columbia is headed whether you live here, invest here, or just love this city, this episode gives you an inside look at the people shaping its future.🎧 Listen now and stay in the know about what’s happening in the heart of the Midlands.