An initiative to help small businesses get started in brick-and-mortar retail and add variety to downtown State College shopping has earned a statewide honor.
Downtown State College Improvement District recently received the 2026 Community Innovation Award from the Pennsylvania Downtown Center in recognition of the success and impact of the Calder Way Pop-Up.
A partnership with Comet Properties, the Calder Way Pop-Up provides a space at 236 E. Calder Way for a rotating lineup of small businesses to test ideas, launch new products, reach new customers and grow in an area with high foot traffic.
Launched in 2025, the storefront hosts local retail small businesses for one to two months at a time. While giving entrepreneurs opportunities to help shape their futures, the project adds fresh and diverse retail experiences to the downtown.
Several Pop-Up businesses, like Town Pride State College, have gone on to establish permanent storefronts at other locations downtown.
“This award recognizes the value of collaboration in creating opportunities for small businesses and strengthening our downtown,” Lee Anne Jeffries, DSCID executive director, said in a statement. “The Calder Way Pop-Up would not be possible without the partnership of Comet Properties, whose commitment to this project has provided a space for entrepreneurs to launch and grow their businesses.”
Jeffries also recognized Kendra Kielbasa, DSCID retail and commercial business advocate, for her leadership in managing the Pop-Up program and supporting businesses throughout the last year.
“This is a community space,” Kielbasa said at a ribbon-cutting for the pop-up in 2025. “People come together, they test ideas, they try things out, they launch, they meet customers, and they really try to think through things. How can we make things better? How can we tweak things? How can we learn things, and how do we engage the community? But this also shows that businesses can start here. They can grow here, and they can succeed and thrive here.”
The Community Innovation Award is presented by the Pennsylvania Downtown Center to recognize creative and impactful initiatives that advance downtown revitalization and community development across the Commonwealth.
Businesses interested in applying for the Calder Way Pop-Up can visit downtownstatecollege.com/work/calder-way-pop-up.
