Top Fives & Other Highlights from 2020 on All Things Madison

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December 21, 2020

A lot of people do a good bit of reflection at the end of each year, and I’m no exception. This is the last post on AllThingsMadison.com for 2020, so I thought I’d end it with some reflecting and summarizing.

I came up with the idea to create this website in January 2020 and hit the ground running quickly to get it up and going. I’ve been working in this industry of websites and blogs for over a decade, so I had a pretty solid idea of what I need to get done before launching. During the first week of March, I publically announced All Things Madison and set a May 1st launch date.

When the world began shutting down around March 13th, I felt confused (amidst other strong emotions) about how to move forward. Originally I envisioned the bulk of the content on this site being about event promotion and general community happenings, so I knew my content needed to shift in order to still launch on May 1st.

As our local businesses began crying out for help in order to survive, I knew that launching amidst the pandemic was exactly what I needed to do.

All Things Madison missions have never changed. This brand exists to:

1.) Provide local entrepreneurs with affordable advertising options (often 100% free this year!) that will target their desired clients who lived right here in Madison. Consumers of all ages and stages of life are scrolling their phones and using Google for answers, so All Things Madison strives to bring the right customers to these small businesses for a fraction of what they would pay for another advertisement medium.

2.) Provide local residents with resources that I would want myself as a member of this community, whether it be about a new restaurant, local event, new housing developments, etc.

3.) Change the stereotype of Madison as “just a city with neighborhoods and good schools.” Madison is often known as “just” a bedroom community, and while we are full to the brim with residential areas and award-winning schools, we also have almost everything we need right here in our city. And since our city isn’t very big proximity-wise, the odds are high that what you’re looking for is right under your nose.

Everyone wins when the local economy thrives: our roads are better, our schools are better, our property values are maintained, we have more extracurricular options, and our general community spirit is increased.

This is why I started All Things Madison: to make life overall better for those who live in, work in, or visit this explosive city.

A Look Back

This summer I worked with my first ever group of teen writers from local high schools, who covered topics such as local gyms, doughnut options, places to swim, local musicians, and much more. I’m so proud of the great group we had.

This website spotlighted many aspects of our school system, such as what makes Madison City Schools so exceptional, how teachers often go above and beyond to help students financially, and what it looks like inside our elementary schools right now.

I shared with you so many new businesses that opened, I couldn’t even begin to count. Some that come to mind immediately include Tom Brown’s, Crumbl Cookie, Wine & Design, Valentina’s, NOW Soccer, Al Shish Palace, Bigfoot’s Little Donuts, and many more.

We’ve also covered some businesses that are yet to come to Madison and will be opening their doors in 2021, include Just Love Coffee Cafe, Elegance on Main, and the new Chick-fil-A location.

You’ve read about general community resources that everyone should know about, including where to get a driver’s license, what emails to sign up for on the city’s official website, and how to get involved with the Madison Chamber of Commerce.

We’ve covered COVID-specific topics, such as a list of socially distant activities to do around town and where to get a rapid or PCR test as soon as possible.

So many incredible, beautiful communities have shared their stories, such as Lynn Laing and her journey with Shipt and the Bell family and their kidney transplant experience.

Housing, housing, and housing some more! You read about a handful of residential developments, such as The Village at Oakland Springs, Wells Estates by Rachel Brown Homes, and more new construction neighborhoods coming in 2021.

We had one great, big Jingle Bell Rock Hunt! Whew, what a day that was! It’ll be back bigger and better than ever in November 2021!

All in all, I’ve shared 146 articles on this website and have a goal of a few thousand more.

Above all else, I strive for this website to be equal-parts resourceful and entertaining. This isn’t an objective newspaper; This is a website written by someone just like you, a consumer who lives here in Madison who desires to make the best, most informed decisions that I can for myself and my family and friends day in and day out.

I hope that this site has served this purpose for you in some ways throughout the last eight months.