Doing Business Downtown

Resources for your business located in Madison's Central Business Improvement District (BID).

Full Business Directory

Review the entire list of businesses located within Madison's Central BID. Explore the full business directory.

Bring Your Business Downtown

Bring your business downtown.

Market Data
Downtown Madison offers a thriving market for your retail, restaurant, entertainment or service business, in a top-ranked place to live, work and prosper.

A Safe Place
Downtown Madison is a vibrant, safe community with low crime and active, engaged neighborhood police officers.

A Scenic Place
Set on an isthmus between two scenic lakes, Madison's Central Business District encompasses the heart of downtown Madison, where the famed State Street pedestrian mall links the Capitol square, seat of Wisconsin state government, to the University of Wisconsin campus.

A Thriving Place
The central downtown is home to more than 1,500 businesses–from shops, boutiques, and restaurants to financial, law and communications firms–plus museums and cultural destinations. The Business Improvement District includes more than 350 shops, galleries, restaurants, night spots, and entertainment and service businesses, from national brands to locally owned.

A Place to Live
The central downtown serves a thriving residential market, with 1,300 area condo units and 1,800 rental units added since 1995, as well as the University of Wisconsin campus with 42,000 students and 18,000 faculty and staff.

A Proud Place
Recent Madison accolades include:

A Connected Place
Located in south Central Wisconsin, Madison is just off Interstates I-90, I-94 and I-39, with easy driving access from Milwaukee (90 minutes), Chicago (2.5 hours) and Minneapolis (4.5 hours). Dane County Regional Airport offers non-stop service to many major US cities.

A Great Place to Visit
Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, the University and downtown hotels offer top-notch meeting and convention facilities, with more than 1,200 hotel rooms within walking distance of central downtown.