Revitalizing Milan’s downtown, Dave Snyder champions small businesses and historic preservation to create a thriving community hub.

Photo: In addition to his other projects, Dave Snyder was the project lead for the Moving Milan Forward initiative of transforming Tolan Square into a vibrant outdoor community space designed to host events and attract visitors to downtown Milan. (Source: MovingMilanForward.com)

By Doug Marrin

Every day is Small Business Saturday in Milan, Michigan, as far as local developer Dave Snyder is concerned. Milan’s downtown has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past fifteen years, much of it driven by Snyder’s vision and determination.

His passion for creating a thriving downtown centered on small businesses has made Milan a destination for residents and visitors alike. As Small Business Saturday shines a light on local entrepreneurs, Snyder’s story reminds us of the critical role visionaries play in revitalizing communities.

Snyder’s journey to reshape Milan’s downtown began with a family connection that brought him to the city. “I got asked to come here 15 years ago to open a bakery with my nephew. Within a year or two, the buildings that the bakery was in were in foreclosure, so I purchased the buildings,” he recounts. This purchase marked the beginning of a transformative process that redefined Milan’s downtown landscape.

While Snyder could have taken a different approach to development, such as townhomes or national retail brands, his focus was clear: small businesses. “When I got involved in downtown Milan, small retail businesses were mostly missing. I knew that for a downtown to be healthy, we needed to offer those sorts of businesses to residents,” he explains.

National chains were never a practical option for Milan. “National brands are not really an option for downtowns in a small community because they require a volume of sales that those small towns may never achieve,” Snyder notes. Instead, he sought out independent business owners with a commitment to the community and the ability to create unique offerings that could draw customers from beyond Milan.

Snyder emphasizes that preserving Milan’s historic charm was equally important. “Downtown Milan is special in that its downtown was declared a Federal Historic District in 1999. Maintaining the ambiance of a time past while providing a place for people to do current-day business creates a special shopping experience for our visitors,” he says.

Building a thriving business community required more than filling storefronts. Snyder worked closely with his tenants to ensure their success. “In the early years, when I was encouraging businesses to open in a downtown where there were a lot of vacant storefronts, I told business owners what I thought rent ought to be five years down the road when they were established and surrounded by others,” Snyder explains. “I could not justify that rent initially but gave them a path to get there over time. That gave them several years to build a healthy business.”

At the same time, Snyder worked to bring more potential customers to downtown Milan. “We were bringing new potential customers to them by opening apartments above those shops that have more than doubled the number of people who live downtown,” he says.

Milan’s business community thrives today not only because of Snyder’s efforts but also through partnerships and collaboration. “Milan helps businesses to thrive through organizations like Downtown Milan and Milan Area Chamber, which work to draw business to our community. In addition, the business owners work with each other to create events that draw customers. And we are all very grateful to the residents and visitors to our community who helped us succeed,” Snyder says.

Looking ahead, Snyder’s vision remains unwavering. With over 27 storefronts undergoing restoration and new projects underway, Snyder continues to invest in Milan’s future. “It’s got a really bright future. I expect we’ll find ways to make the community grow, build momentum in housing so that we’re completely filling our schools and using the city services,” he says.

Every day is Small Business Saturday in Milan, Michigan, thanks to Snyder’s and the community’s vision and determination, which continue to make the city’s downtown a thriving hub for residents, visitors, and local entrepreneurs.