On a warm summer day just a few years ago, Nick Shelton was cruising down Main Street on his bicycle when inspiration struck.
Not long after being elected mayor of Niles, Shelton shared this memory with an audience of business leaders at a Four Flags Chamber of Commerce dinner, describing what he said was a pivotal moment that changed his life.
“I think that’s the moment I fell in love with Niles,” he said. “Don’t get me wrong. I always loved our city, but there is something special about taking it in from that vantage point: the breeze in your face, the smell of the river, the bricks on the buildings zooming by while cruising down Main Street. It’s awesome.”
A 2004 Brandywine graduate, Shelton grew up on the south side of Niles, but moved to the city years after graduating college. He returned to his hometown to work at his family’s business, Shelton’s Farm Market. Shelton said he had always been an engaged citizen, shopping local whenever possible and volunteering throughout the community, but on that bike ride, something clicked.

“As I biked, I saw all of the beauty in our city. I saw all of our potential,” he said. “But I also saw many of our faults. Cracked sidewalks, potholes, vacant storefronts, poverty. Sadly, the list went on. Something needed to change. And I wanted to be part of the change.”
Fired up with newfound determination, Shelton found an opportunity to fuel his new goal when longtime mayor John McCauslin announced he would retire from his position in 2016. Shelton threw his hat in the ring, spent a summer meeting with constituents to learn what taxpayers were interested in seeing in Niles, and sharing his “fresh perspective” — a campaign slogan playing off his family business, the “fresh specialists.”
Shelton was elected by a large margin in November of the same year.
“For me, [running for mayor] was a way for me to be a catalyst for change to get more people involved — not necessarily just younger people — but to bring a new energy to the city and get more people involved,” he said.
Since then, Shelton said attendance at city council meetings has increased significantly, and more residents are sharing their ideas and concerns. As mayor, Shelton has helped to facilitate a number of projects to improve the city, including a façade improvement program to aesthetically enhance downtown storefronts. Intent on creating new jobs and commercial opportunities for current and future Niles residents, the mayor has done his part to forge partnerships with key businesses like Indeck Energy.
In the last 18 months, the downtown district has transformed dramatically, with new businesses opening doors almost monthly. Traffic has steadily increased on Main Street as new shops and restaurants have populated the area, and while many downtown business owners attribute a newfound “energy” in downtown to Shelton’s leadership in the community, the mayor said he cannot take credit for this growth.
“I got involved at a time where a new generation of entrepreneurs were getting excited about the city,” he said. “There is this new energy in Niles, and I think we are doing better to make our city an environment where people want to be, where they can be excited, and where they want to start a business.”
Shelton said he possesses an “entrepreneurial spirit” that helps him see the potential in Niles, not only in the downtown shopping district, but in the entire city limits. While he feels building a prosperous downtown is a large component of a successful city, he knows another important element is creating a community where people not only want to visit, but also want to live.
“Moving forward, the key is getting people involved and getting people excited, continuing to get Niles to be a place where people want to establish roots,” he said.
Shelton said that many longtime Niles residents miss the city Niles once was, when major retailers like Montgomery Ward and Woolworth’s lined Main Street. Although these major retailers drew foot traffic and contributed to a prosperous economy, online retailers have changed the way people shop for goods, making high-trafficked shopping malls more appealing to big box department stores.
“We need to think about the future differently than we’ve thought about the past,” he said. “To make our community more desirable, we need to make our community a place where people want to go.”
Known for his charisma, Shelton can often be found rallying the troops to advocate positive change, whether by organizing cleanup days in Riverfront Park, or by challenging angry residents to speak up and share their views in council meetings. While he attributes the success of a rapidly growing city of Niles to key leaders like city administrator Ric Huff and business owners like Bryan Williams, he recognizes that his love for Niles can be contagious.
“I’m passionate about Niles because it’s home,” he said. “Even when I wasn’t here, it was always home for me. It’s where I wanted to be, and I’m leading with passion and excitement. I want to keep the energy fresh and exciting.”

Photo by Emily Sobecki and file photo