BELLEFONTAINE, Ohio (WCMH) — A decade-long effort to revive a central Ohio town has included the renovation of nearly 60 historic buildings, yielding dozens of new businesses and more than $30 million in private investments.

Located an hour northwest of Columbus, the city of Bellefontaine in Logan County succumbed to a crisis 15 years ago faced by many U.S. small towns: young residents, entrepreneurs and once lucrative industries turned to larger Ohio communities for increasing economic and cultural opportunities. The shift left a downturn in Bellefontaine, as more than 70% of the city’s business district sat vacant and historic buildings fell into decline.

But, change would soon come from one young resident named Jason Duff, a Logan County native who had recently graduated from Ohio Northern University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration. Duff saw the potential in Bellefontaine’s decaying downtown, setting out to begin a career in entrepreneurship and connecting with other business owners who wanted to bring “big city amenities” found in Columbus to small towns.

Jason Duff launched Small Nation, the company behind a revival in Bellefontaine, Ohio. (Courtesy Photo/Small Nation)

“We started finding people that had good ideas that wanted to activate some of the empty and available real estate,” Duff said. “I fell in love with Bellefontaine because they had all this beautiful historic building stock, but the buildings were vacant and just needed people with good ideas to start up and create businesses here.”

From those conversations, Duff launched Small Nation, a company he said “invests in places, spaces and dreams for small towns and entrepreneurs.” Now, 15 years later, the effort has built up more than $30 million in private investments, renovated 56 buildings in Bellefontaine’s downtown, and helped jumpstart about 60 new businesses providing nearly 200 jobs for the city.

Exemplifying the Small Nation formula is Rainbow Row, one of the oldest blocks in Bellefontaine’s downtown. The block was purchased by the company in 2021 and has been restored to feature five street-level storefronts, including a craft beer and wine shop, a tattoo parlor, and a pop-up shop opening later this summer that allows small businesses to open inside for one to three months.

Rainbow Row includes a craft beer and wine shop, a tattoo parlor, a pop-up shop opening later this summer, and more. (Courtesy Photo/Small Nation)

Visitors taking a day or weekend trip to Bellefontaine can utilize Rainbow Row’s seven Airbnbs found on the block’s second floor.

Opera Block is Small Nation’s largest project to date. Built in 1891 and home to “the oldest concrete street in America,” the building operated as an opera house and a silent movie theater before becoming a 20th-century marketplace. Small Nation purchased the 40,000-square-foot structure in 2021, which now includes a coffee shop, boutiques, a chocolate and gourmet foods store, a small event venue, an axe-throwing destination and more.

Duff boasted Holland Theater, another historic Bellefontaine structure that recently installed a new 32-foot marquee thanks to funding from community members. Removed in the 1950s due to code changes, the original signage has been recreated and now blends historical accuracy with modern features, like LED side panels. Duff said the theater, which has become a go-to spot for a variety of comedy and live stage shows, will officially celebrate the new marquee in the coming months.

Small Nation bought Opera Block in 2021 and now includes a coffee shop, boutiques, a gourmet foods store, a small event venue, and more. (Courtesy Photo/Small Nation)

With the success of Bellefontaine, Small Nation has expanded with clients in small towns across the nation. Along with aiding developments in dozens of other Ohio cities, like Bowling Green and Greenfield, the company has also begun “implementing the small town success formula” in towns in Iowa, Idaho, Minnesota, Texas, and Alabama.

For those Ohioans who are weary Bellefontaine has turned a corner, Duff encourages them “to come see it to believe it.”

“I’m thankful that people are supporting downtown Bellefontaine, people show up and they’re spending money, they’re shopping, they’re having a good time and they’re telling their friends and neighbors,” Duff said. “We want the secret to get out. It really is Ohio’s most lovable downtown.”