Economic Planning Subcommittee and Downtown Strategy & Regional Business Subcommittee
Break-out small group discussion
Which retail opportunities do you think are the best fit for
1. Main Street?
2. East Main Street?
3. Foster Brook/Bradford Mall?
How do you think retail vendors should be attracted?
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Retail Discussion – Group #1
Retail opportunities
1 – Bookstores featuring college and high school appropriate material plus coffee shop on small scale.
2 – Micro-brewery, specialty food retailers
3 – General merchandise store featuring American made products
4 – Sporting goods
5 – Diverse clothing stores
6 – Hotel and lodging
7 – Places to eat and gather
8 – Electronics/small appliances
9 – Hobby and/or craft supply store
10 – Hardware / building materials / paint
11 – Winery
Retail Discussion – Group #2
Food Service – Restaurants
-Destination and unique places
-Ramada and Marriott – this is a college town
-Control design specs on new stores
-Sporting goods – smaller claims, relate to trails
-Use Bradford Armory
-Book store
-Another drug store?
-Furniture
-Appliances
-Home accessories
-Clothing – Old Nacy
-Whole Foods
-College oriented retail
-Party place – banquet facility
How to attract? How to encourage expansion?
-Attitude improvement – Ambassador’s program
-Identity – personal contact
----must be driven by personal champion
----marketing orientation
----recruitment program
-Merchandising – service attitude
-Tax break – loan programs
-Training – lecture program, merchandising
----1-stop center for training, etc.
Nice bar – lounge
John Williams!
BYOB places
Garden clubs – for green areas
Retail Discussion – Group #3
How should retail vendors be attracted?
1 – Prepare marketing and recruitment strategy
2 – Identify existing or property for new development. New to recruit or start up new retail business
3 – Work with existing retailers to transition into new business owners
4 – Work with existing retailers to expand existing businesses to fill retail needs
5 – Develop volunteer groups to work with existing businesses
6 – Bring in speakers and professionals to help organize and support retail group.
7 - Start up mentoring program.
8 - Discussion with existing businesses to identify areas of growth and expansion. Build a toolbox for them to use.
9 – Need extensive public relations/marketing plan. Joint marketing.
10 – Need help from business community.