Now that you know which brand-building missteps to avoid, here is Bill Baker’s seven-step process for building an authentic brand that resonates: • Research the current climate. Market research is the starting point for any brand-building endeavor. Look at what competitors are doing, determine what consumers think, and interview stakeholders. It’s important to remain objective…To read more — login/subscribe
Downtown Employee Appreciation Week in Wausau, WI, includes an adult ball pit, the world’s largest coffee break, DIY workshops, an ice cream social, and a succulent bar. The event, now in its fourth year, is dedicated to thanking downtown employees and introducing them to downtown amenities that they may not be familiar with. “This week…To read more — login/subscribe
Chicago’s downtown district and its North Side are thriving, but its South and West sides continue to struggle. In response, Mayor Lori Lightfoot kicked off Invest South/West, a three-year plan that seeks to invest $750 million in dormant and struggling retail areas in 10 neighborhoods, including Austin, Auburn Gresham, New City, and Bronzeville. The city’s…To read more — login/subscribe
• Get started. Discuss goals, build a list of assets and partners, and establish the major outcomes that will determine the project’s success.
...• Make new connections. Every city faces a familiar challenge: A small group of people attends community meetings, while most remain invisible. Preuss says you need to search out new people — owners of small-scale producers, home-based businesses, and property owners. “We won’t find all these people easily, however, which brings us to the Connectors,” Preuss says. “Connectors are trusted leaders from different communities who are willing to make change happen.” This group can include faith leaders, cultural influencers, civic leaders, and other trusted members of the community. ...
• Get to know small-scale producers. Once you’ve identified key entrepreneurs, get to know them. Preuss suggests one-on-one interviews during which you find out about business owners’ needs. Involving entrepreneurs early allows them to feel a sense of ownership in your community’s strategy. Make sure to include a racially diverse group of people that includes Black and Brown producers. ...
• Analyze. After talking to key players, your next step is to determine what it all means. Should the community buy a vacant building downtown and use it as an incubator for small-scale producers? Do you need lending or training resources for your business owners? Do zoning and land-use rules restrict downtown production? Each community will have unique challenges, but this step will guide your next move. ...
• Act. To build momentum, Preuss says, you should act immediately — even if the initial step is a modest one. She points to Fremont, CA, which wanted to build its pipeline of small-scale manufacturing businesses. But the city realized it had no way to identify these entrepreneurs, let alone gather them for marketing efforts. So Fremont’s first small victory involved promoting small-scale manufacturers through the city’s public relations channels, and asking entrepreneurs to sign up on a city list. “This simple action attracted community attention and allowed the city to start bringing people together online and in meetups,” Preuss says. The first action was similar in South Bend, IN, where many manufacturing operations were so small that they flew under the radar. Contact: Ilana Preuss, Recast City, 240-472-2765. ...
A new breed of business could lead a wave of downtown revitalization. Niche manufacturers — think craft jewelers, makers of small-batch lotions and cosmetics, and microbrewers — are a growing, but often overlooked, segment of the post-pandemic economy, says Ilana Preuss. Preuss is founder and chief executive officer of consulting firm Recast City. She’s also…To read more — login/subscribe
…of the book cover: Principles of downtown development in small cities, Urban design and infrastructure redevelopment, Waterfront and brownfields redevelopment, Retail and commercial redevelopment. The book clearly shows that downtown revitalization works in small as well as in large cities, and that common principles apply…. Continue reading
Downtowns everywhere are trying to tap into the magic of creative placemaking. The goal is to foster a community where arts, culture, and entertainment (ACE) attract a cross-section of visitors. When the concept works, visitors have a great experience. Maybe it’s the downtown museum that keeps them coming back, or the live music scene, or…To read more — login/subscribe
Memphis, TN, is a majority Black city whose developers are mostly white. The Downtown Memphis Commission has been taking strides to change that picture by making the ranks of property investors and merchants more diverse. The Downtown Memphis Commission’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) work was honored this year by the International Downtown Association. The…To read more — login/subscribe
Millburn, NJ, adopted a Complete Streets program in 2014, outlining a series of goals and objectives to make the streets safer for pedestrians, improve traffic flow, address intersection congestion, and slow traffic where appropriate. A three-phase implementation plan was developed with a robust series of traffic calming and other improvements that include road-diets, curb bump-outs,…Continue reading
Valerie Marmone once ran a clothing boutique in Sacramento, so she knows firsthand how hard it is to operate a retail business in an era of tight margins and online shopping. In her post-entrepreneurial career, Marmone works as vice president of business development at the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. In that role, she runs the annual…Continue reading
