Back in 2018, Christian Nelson had just bought the building at 228 East Main Street. He ran into a lot of people who wanted to see good things happening in Downtown Medford. Those people started meeting together.
“It was decided to formalize the entity (Downtown Medford Association) so we could receive funds from the City of Medford and be a member of the Main Street Program and also get organizations to bring their events downtown,” said Christian. Christian became a member of the founding DMA board and the first DMA Board President.
Christian’s building is now home to Crunch Time! which is a popular entertainment venue with both escape rooms and wreck rooms that Christian is involved in, along with manager Rhyan Ingalls. Recovery Café is also on the street level of the building. Upstairs is a conference center and offices, the main one being the home of Bill Maentz’s 5 O’clock Marketing Group.
Christian has good memories of DMA’s accomplishments over the years including helping getting MURA extended, organizing holiday lights and spring and summer flower baskets, running some organized cleanups, and supporting events including Dining and Dancing in the Streets and Bikes and Brews (more recently called Ride for a Cause).
Looking to the future with DMA, Christian said, “DMA should be running events in Downtown Medford – things that bring people out. Look at past successes like Comic Con and the once popular Medford Jazz Festival.”
Christian is a big supporter of the proposed EID (Economic Improvement District). “DMA needs a consistent funding source. Most successful downtown organizations have funding support from an EID,” added Christian.
DMA thanks Christian Nelson for his ongoing support.