Wabash Marketplace
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​Why Downtown Wabash?

It's a great place to raise a family.
Wabash offers both a safe and welcoming environment to settle down and raise a family.  While famous for being the first electrically lighted city in the world, Wabash is filled with historic buildings that are constantly being renovated. Downtown Wabash offers an outstanding combination of tourism and demographics in Northeast Indiana. From unique tourism pieces, to the ease of shopping, Downtown Wabash is a great place in Northeast Indiana to call home for your business.
  • Population of Wabash: 10,112
  • Young adults (ages 25 to 44) make up 25.3% of the population
  • Average of 15 minutes of travel time to work
  • 27.1% of the resident occupations are management, professional, and related
  • Ample places to park throughout downtown & it’s FREE!
  • 1500 students attend Wabash City Schools
  • 4,465 total occupied homes in Wabash
  • 32.2% of the population of Wabash County live in the city of Wabash
  • 52.8% Female/47.2% Male
  • Out of approximately 100 buildings within downtown Wabash, 80 can be considered as contributing to the overall historic and architectural character of the area.
  • Approximately 7.5% of all jobs in Wabash County are supported by tourism to the region. 
  • Retail accounts for the largest share of tourism spend in Wabash County, totaling 30% of visitor expenditures.
You won’t be doing business alone.
Downtown Wabash consists of a healthy combination of retail and restaurant offerings. Customers from all over Indiana travel to experience our unique retail mix and locally run restaurants, especially on the First Friday of each month.
 
We have approximately 80 retail and service businesses that are locally owned and operated.  This mix of one-of-a-kind retailers gives Downtown Wabash the lively and spunky personality that customers know and love.
View the Current Downtown Map Here.
Your business will be supported by Wabash Marketplace, Inc.   
Fostering community and economic development in historic Downtown Wabash since 1981, Wabash Marketplace, Inc. partners with members, local and state officials, and community leaders for continued investment and advocacy of Wabash.  Their love of Wabash is contagious, and other communities are noticing. With your membership into Wabash Marketplace, Inc.., not only will you receive the many benefits, but you know you will be supporting downtown growth and development.

JOIN TODAY!

WMI Membership Benefits:
  • Advocacy
  • Recognition at local/state level
  • Visibility
  • Information-Resources
  • Promotions
  • Marketing
  • Networking
  • Investment
  • Grant Access
  • Job Postings
  • Intern Connections
 
WMI Programs:
  • First Friday Wabash
  • Wabash Farmers’ Market
  • Wabash City Wide Garage Sale
  • Takin’ To Streets Sidewalk Sales
  • Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza
  • Downtown Holiday Night to Remember
  • Celebration of Light Ceremony
  • Black Friday/Small Business Saturday
  • Dad’s Day Out
  • Merchant Meeting
  • Creative Placemaking Initiatives
  • Online Downtown Inventory
  • Online Job Postings
  • Façade Improvements​
Why do people love Downtown Wabash?
“I love Wabash because it’s progressive and forward-thinking.”
 - Amy Ford, Borders & Beyond Gallery


“I love Wabash because it attracts people from out of town due to the neat things we have here.”
 - Ray Daniels, Reading Room Books

“I love Downtown Wabash because it’s a community within a community.”
 - Mayor Scott Long

“I love Downtown Wabash because of its unique atmosphere from family fun to a girls’ night out.”
 - Leah Hines, Tiny Threads Children’s Boutique

“I love Wabash because it’s a wonderful community with nice people. We all care about each other and work together.”
 - Marjorie Francis & Terri Ahlfeld, The Francis Shoppe

“I love Downtown Wabash because of how the businesses support one another.”
 - Katie Jones, Visit Wabash County

“I love Wabash because it’s a tight-knit community and if someone is in need, everyone else steps up to help.”
 - Amanda Shambarger & Carli Henderson, Schlemmer Brothers Metalworks

"
We chose Wabash because of its positive energy and the support the community and leaders have for Wabash. The downtown area is the heartbeat of Wabash and we love it!"
 - Maria Smyth, Eclectic Shoppe
Downtown Wabash fosters healthy living and a high quality of life for all who reside here.
From beautiful walking trails to top-level fitness facilities, Downtown Wabash continues to grow as a place that values the well-being of its people.
  • Paradise Spring Historical Park, consisting of paved pathways and public restrooms, provides a safe place for walkers, joggers, and bicyclists to enjoy the area.  It also networks into the Wabash City Trails, where you can enjoy that natural beauty of the Wabash River and the historic architecture of Wabash.
  • A vast array of family-friendly parks along with an All-Inclusive Park coming in the fall of 2018!
  • Charley Creek Gardens provides public urban greenspace in the hopes of inspiring the mind and rejuvenating the body of all who visit.
  • The Wabash County YMCA and CrossFit Relativity offer a variety of recreational classes and services to help you become the best version of yourself.
  • The Wabash City R.V. Park is located next to Downtown Wabash and the Wabash City Trail.
Downtown Wabash BLOG

September 13, 2018
- Taylor Heath

When someone asks me why I love Downtown Wabash, I find it rather difficult to put into words.  Not because I struggle to come up with a reason, but rather I struggle to narrow my answer down to just a few.  I am one of those lucky people who has had the privilege of calling Wabash home my entire life, but I admit that I did not fully appreciate downtown for all that it is until much more recently.
            During my senior year of high school, I began interning for an adorable boutique that was located right in the heart of downtown.  What started as an internship for school credit quickly turned into so much more than that.  After just a few short weeks, I had completely fallen in love with everyone and everything that went into making that small boutique what it was.  I adored the people I interacted with and the merchandise we were selling but more importantly, I fell in love with the place where all the magic happened.  Working in Downtown Wabash sparked my passion for small businesses and my dream to own one (hopefully downtown) in the future.
            I had no idea how special the Wabash community was until I went away to college last fall.  The beginning of Freshman year was the first time in my entire life that I experienced what it was like to live somewhere where hardly anyone even knew my first name, let alone everything about my family.  At first I could not figure out why that bothered me so much, but then it hit me.  I was used to living in Wabash, a place filled with people who go out of their way to get to know those living among them.  A place where your neighbors aren’t just the people living next door – they’re more like family.  Downtown Wabash is easy to love, and its people are no exception.
            When I bring my college friends home with me, I always look forward to giving them a tour of downtown.  That’s because even though our town may be a little smaller than where they grew up, there are lots of fun things to do and plenty of interesting stories to share.  For instance, I proudly tell them that Wabash was the first electrically lighted city in the world and walk them to the sign outside of the County Courthouse to prove it.  Or when I take them to Modoc’s (because we all know college students love coffee), I love recounting the story of the elephant that gave the cute little coffee shop its name.  I take them to my favorite places to shop and tell them the story of the boutique that stole my heart.  By the time I finish giving my friends a tour of downtown, they cannot believe that such a place exists.  And they always ask if they can come back. 
Downtown Wabash is a rare gem.  It is the place where lots of childhood memories were made and where my dreams for the future were born.  It is full of the people who helped shape me into the person I am today.  No matter where I end up, it is a place that I will forever be honored to call home.


JOB LISTINGS

SUBMIT JOB POSTING*

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE

MEETING SPACES

INTERN REQUEST*

DOWNTOWN REAL ESTATE LISTINGS

SUBMIT DOWNTOWN REAL ESTATE LISTING

SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEB RESOURCES

Wabash Marketplace

99 West Canal Street
Wabash, IN 46992

(260)563-0975

info@WabashMarketplace.org
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  • HOME
  • Downtown District
  • About
    • Wabash Cultural District
    • Projects
    • WE'RE IN THE NEWS
    • Promotional Videos
  • Events
    • First Friday Wabash
    • Wabash Farmers' Market
    • Merchant Meetings
    • Downtown Wabash Spring Clean Up
    • Sidewalk Sales
    • Trick-or-Treat Extravaganza
    • Downtown Holiday Night to Remember
    • Black Friday/Small Business Saturday
  • Membership
    • 2019: Meet Our Members
  • Properties/Lodging/Historic Guidelines
    • COA- Certificate Of Appropriateness Application
    • Design Guidelines for Historic Downtown Wabash
    • Available Properties For Sale
    • Storefronts/Offices for Rent
    • Downtown Apartments for Rent
    • Downtown Lodging
  • Job Openings
  • Online Payments
  • Contact Us
    • Contact Us
    • Social Media >
      • Facebook- Wabash Marketplace
      • Instagram- Wabash Marketplace
      • Facebook- First Friday Wabash
      • Instagram- First Friday Wabash
      • Facebook- Wabash Farmers' Market
    • Resource Links