Each fall, the City of Grand Rapids, MI, hosts ArtPrize. Over 16 days, art is exhibited in galleries, storefronts, parks, museums, and other venues. Through public and juried voting, cash prizes are awarded.
With almost 800,000 people visiting downtown to view and vote on artwork, the city decided to ask them what they would like to see in each of 12 vacant storefronts. QR codes were posted on empty windows with the question, “What do you want here?” The QR codes link to a survey with six quick questions.
Residents and visitors wanted to see a mix of clothing, outdoor, book, health food, and fresh produce retailers, as well as entertainment-based restaurants that blend food, drink, and entertainment with themed environments, trivia nights, karaoke, live performances, and creative menus.
More on retail attraction appears regularly in the pages of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter.
Click below to learn more about Downtown Idea Exchange and other resources for revitalizing downtowns and commercial corridors.