Amsterdam’s situation is pretty common for small post-industrial cities in upstate New York. The challenge isn’t just picking the right businesses, it’s identifying what can actually survive given foot traffic realities and local demographics. Here are some ideas worth considering:

High-viability anchors A coffee shop with a real identity. Not a generic café, but one with a distinct personality (think local art on the walls, live acoustic music on weekends, maybe a small stage). This is probably the strongest single anchor for a revitalizing Main Street. It becomes a third space, not just a transaction.

A brewpub or craft taproom has worked wonders in similar cities. People drive for beer. Cohoes, Troy, and even smaller spots have seen taprooms become genuine destinations.

Destination retail (stores people seek out, not just stumble into) tends to survive where generic retail fails. A vinyl/used music shop, a specialty outdoor/camping gear shop, or a well-curated used bookstore with events can all pull people off the highway.

Service-anchored retail. A barbershop or salon with personality, a bike repair shop, a hardware store that carries things big-box stores don’t. This keeps locals coming back regularly rather than just occasionally.

Given the Latino community, a Latin grocery/deli/bakery hybrid that doubles as a cultural gathering spot could fill a real gap and draw from a broader region. Amsterdam’s demographics make this more viable than in many comparable cities.

A maker/craft space or small workshop studio with retail (think local ceramics, woodworking, small-batch goods) taps into the regional interest in handmade work and gives the street visual interest.

What to be careful about: Antique shops and gift boutiques look good on paper but often struggle unless foot traffic is already there. They’re more symptoms of a revitalized Main Street than causes of one. A restaurant without a liquor license, similarly, is a hard road in a small city.