Starting a Business
The Downtown Development District (PDF) is a great location for your business.
Downtown Thomasville draws shoppers from across North Florida and South Georgia, offering premier retail and dining. With abundant commercial opportunities, entrepreneurs join a community that includes industry leaders, award-winning restaurants, 100+ boutiques, and 50+ professional and health services, all thriving in our vibrant district.
Downtown Development District
The Thomasville Main Street Office offers valuable benefits to our Downtown merchants, including:
Inclusion in our Shopping & Dining Guide, distributed to 10,000+ visitors each year.
Eligibility for the Downtown Dollars gift certificate program.
Monthly Memos with key Downtown updates.
Quarterly merchant meetings to connect with fellow businesses.
Ribbon Cutting/Grand Opening support, social media announcements, and a local newspaper photo opportunity.
Participation in signature Downtown events like Victorian Christmas, First Fridays, and the Rose Show & Festival.
Business name placement on Downtown directional signage.
Access to tourism initiatives promoted through state agencies, major publications, and regional/national websites.
Incentives
Because Thomasville is nationally recognized as a Georgia Exceptional Main Street City, there are a variety of local and state incentives you may be able to take advantage of:
Thomasville's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) offers a property tax incentive (PDF) in the Downtown Development District.
A local matching facade grant (PDF) from Thomasville is available to you to assist in refurbishing a building facade.
The Georgia Department of Community Affairs offers funding programs such as block grants and low interest loans, along with many incentive programs through Opportunity Zones, tax incentives through historic property rehabilitation, job tax credits, and more.
The Georgia Municipal Association offers financing support through the Georgia Cities Foundation.
The Downtown district, along with all of Thomasville, is designated camera ready for the film industry and is certified work ready by the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
We can also connect you with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center, offering free training and one-on-one consulting services.
To learn more about opening a business, including helpful information on tax incentives, facade grant funding, and more, please contact our office at (229) 227-7020. One of the first things we will do is connect you with the City of Thomasville’s Economic Development team to guide you through the process of obtaining your Certificate of Occupancy.
Thomasville Infrastructure & Statistics
As you consider launching a business in our district, know that Thomasville is truly infrastructure rich.
- The City provides electricity, natural gas water, sewer, solid waste, high-speed internet, cable, and phone services, plus advanced telecommunication options for data-heavy businesses.
- City-wide low-cost WiFi is available.
- Three major four-lane highways (US 319, 19, and 84) converge here, and Thomasville serves as a CSX rail center.
- Employers can draw from a five-county Georgia labor pool and Tallahassee, totaling over 144,000 residents.
- Thomasville Regional Airport supports corporate aircraft with runways over 5,000 feet.
- Thomasville Fire Rescue holds an elite ISO Class 2 rating, lowering insurance costs for homes and businesses.
- National outlets like USA Today, Southern Living, and Garden & Gun consistently recognize Thomasville as a top micro-politan city, sporting destination, and tax-friendly community.
- Named a PlanFirst community, Thomasville is recognized for strong, forward-thinking planning.
Downtown Thomasville is a historically-modern, culturally vibrant city where people live, work and play.
Contact our office at (229) 227-7020 to find out about the incentives we have to offer when opening a business.
For additional information about Thomasville, visit the City of Thomasville's website.
Community Impact 5 Year Review
A summary of the impact of the City of Thomasville’s Main Street Program from 2021-2025.
PRIVATE AND PUBLIC INVESTMENT IN
DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION EFFORTS
$71.02M+
$13.04M+ private and public investment in 2025255NET JOBS CREATED
25 net jobs created in 2025$49M+INVESTED IN
46
BUILDING
REHABILITATION
PROJECTS$3.5M invested in 7 building
rehabilitation projects in 2025
$11.6M+
Invested In247
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS
$296,082+ invested in 74 public
improvement projects in 2025
DOWNTOWN GROWTH SINCE 1981
385
BUSINESSES
NET GAINJOBS NET GAIN1,503
$181M+
PRIVATE AND PUBLIC DOWNTOWN
REINVESTMENT SINCE 1981
Downtown Merchant Job Listings
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We are hiring! If you love fashion and people, apply within or email us! Must love fashion and have outstanding customer service skills.
Address: 128 S. Broad St. Thomasville, GA
Phone: (229) 226-8861
Email: modethomasville@gmail.comPosted on May 13, 2025
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We're seeking a driven, people-focused Retail Manager to lead our Thomasville team. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and love natural skincare and wellness, we’d love to meet you. This role is 38 hours/week, Monday-Friday with weekend availability, and includes leading and overseeing daily store operations.
Address: 114 South Broad Street, Thomasville, GA
Phone: (229) 977-4105
Email: Hello@RafaNatural.comPosted on May 9, 2025