By Dr. Jeff Bird—
MUNCIE, IN—The transformation of Downtown Muncie over the last several years has been dramatic, welcome, and long overdue. I have such fond memories of my youth spending time at the Rivoli and Strand and the one time a year my grandmother would take me to get a new shirt and pants at Ball Stores. “Those were the Days” as the saying goes. Something is happening in downtown Muncie now. It’s exciting and positions this key economic and cultural hub to again become the driver of social interaction in our great city. Many groups and individuals are contributing to this effort, none more so than the Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, and its new Executive Director Amanda Holmquist.
Amanda grew up in the Cowan area, graduated from Cowan High School, and matriculated to Ball State University to study journalism, advertising and marketing. She has held many jobs in large local entities since graduating, including stints at the Muncie YMCA, Minnetrista, and Ball State. She assumed the role of Executive Director at MDDP from the retiring Vicki Veach in early 2026. She gives great credit to Vicki for all the work she did to establish a solid organization that Amanda now leads. For her contributions, Vicki was recognized with the Legacy Award from the Chamber of Commerce.
Amanda works with a small staff which includes 20 plus year director of events Cheryl Crowder and a new assistant.
Amanda has great passion for downtown and its current successes but realizes much potential can still be pursued. MDDP partners with downtown businesses, living arrangements, event centers, places of worship, restaurants, arts and culture establishments, museums and education institutions. Over 100 new businesses have established a presence in downtown Muncie in the last 10 years. The food, nightlife and cultural options are at an all-time high.
The sponsored events have reached new yearly records for participation, including this past August and Fire Up Downtown. The monthly First Thursday events bring vibrancy to our downtown and new people to experience what downtown has to offer.
Muncie Downtown Development Partnership plans to embark on a new strategic plan in 2027 and beyond to better understand how best to continue the momentum that already exists. It’s well-researched that a vibrant downtown contributes to overall economic and cultural growth and quality of place, and the new strategic plan will help outline how best to see that to fruition. The plan for a new arts and cultural corridor will support this work.
Muncie’s downtown has the infrastructure to be successful: easy accessibility to parking, much restoration to existing historic structures and great partners on the philanthropic, governmental and private business sides to add resources to this work.
Amanda looks forward to this challenge. She says “Downtown Muncie has so much to be proud of, and there’s tremendous opportunity ahead. I’m excited to build on the work that’s already been done, strengthen our partnerships, and help shape what’s next for downtown.”
Under her leadership, we should all have confidence that the great work to transform downtown Muncie will continue to impress us all.
