Serving Downtown Office Workers

Most downtown employees commute to work. Given the non-local nature of these commuters, downtowns are faced with the challenge of keeping its employees downtown after working hours, while also encouraging them to spend more money during the day. In general, the more time spent by workers in and around their offices, the more likely they are to make purchases at downtown establishments. Recognizing these challenges, a recent study conducted by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) analyzed how the habits of office workers have changed between 1987 and 2003. The study examined changing consumer preferences among office workers, along with the impact of retail availability on employee shopping habits. The summary of these findings can be found in this issue.

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Rural Downtown Development: Guiding Principles for Small Cities

Small city downtowns are often in need of the same revitalization efforts larger urban centers benefit from. The issues surrounding small city development are complicated because of rural downtown’s great diversity in population size, location and economic base. This diversity, and the obvious disparity in scale, means that one cannot simply apply urban development techniques to small city projects. To address the lack of small city development guidelines Kent Robertson, professor of Community Development at St. Cloud State University, developed five principles to inform revitalization in rural and small city downtowns. This article is a summary of these principles.

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Green Consumers – A Growing Market for Many Local Businessess

Americans are becoming increasingly concerned about the environment. Studies have shown that the percentage of Americans who worry about the environment “a great deal” or “a fair amount” has increased from 62% to 77% between 2004 and 2006. This trend has led to more independent businesses on Main Street marketing to green consumers. Local businesses focusing on green products have emerged as a growing business sector. Likewise, more traditional businesses such as grocery, hardware/building materials and appliance/electronic stores are increasing their lines of green products as they realize their profitability. For many businesses, going green isn’t necessarily about saving the environment. Rather it’s about saving the business. Accordingly, the information that follows is intended to help local businesses understand and better serve the green consumer.

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How Local Businesses Can Serve Trail Users

Multi-use trails provide both community-wide and business specific economic development opportunities. Trails increase transportation linkages, expand and conserve greenways, and can provide a much-needed “shot in the arm” for downtown businesses. Some examples or trail development bolstering economic development are discussed in this article.

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Wal-Mart Unveils Community Store Design Strategy

Big box retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target have inundated the retail sector in recent years. In fact, a Multi-Market Study performed by Scarborough Research found that “more than four in five U.S. adults over the age of 18 shop at Wal-Mart, Target or both,” representing shoppers from every income level and demographic group.

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Seven Components of a Successful Business Incubator

Business incubators are facilities that provide small,entrepreneurial businesses with affordable space, shared support and business development services. They can help young businesses during their start-up period when
they are most financially vulnerable. While not a panacea for a community’s economic struggles, incubators can
provide a boost to small business and promote entrepreneurship. The following are seven components of a successful incubator from Colin Barrow’s Incubators: A Realist’s Guide to the World’s New Business Accelerators.

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Downtown Redevelopment Efforts in Selected Midwest Cities

While recent downtown revitalization efforts in larger cities may not be transferable, they do demonstrate the variety of ideas being used to serve three important market downtown segments:  residents, office workers, and tourists.  These examples illustrate how downtowns can serve multiple segments in dynamic, mixed-use environments.

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Urban Tourism

The demand for travel to cities has greatly increased over the last few decades. While many travel for business or convention purposes, others are traveling on leisure time to learn about other cultures, to develop their specific interests, and to seek entertainment. But what exactly are the specific elements of the urban tourism product that determine the attractiveness of a city for visitors? This issue examins the key elements that can enhance the visitor-friendliness in urban areas.

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