I continue to be amazed at what seems to be the sense of impotence that  many downtown and commercial district leaders have with respect to their business mix downtown or in their neighborhood commercial districts.  By the way, there are still plenty of downtowns and commercial districts that would like to have a mix---instead the only mix they have is a mix of plywood types over their windows.

I have a dear friend, who is one of the smartest(and nicest and most ethical)people I know. Yet he complains that he can't attract new business to his small city downtown.   I want to scream--GROW YOUR OWN BUSINESSES!  (I also want to scream--do you know what I have been doing for tha past 25 years studying the role of entrepreneurs in downtown revitalization--why not ask me for advice??!!!!!!--but that's another story)  His downtown is near a great state university, an Ivy League school, and several other institutions of higher learning.  Granted within his community proper there are not significant established institutions, and there is a relatively small population within his city limits, and it is not a particularly affluent population--but it would be so easy to create a downtown entrepreneurship program based upon the various academic and other institutions within an hours drive of his city.   That downtown could be transformed into a regional showcase. The architecture is superb and the rents are reasonable.

An INCUBATOR WITHOUT WALLS would be the perfect solution for him to start attracting creative, innovative and intelligent entrepreneurs who could be filling not only the downtown storefronts, but upper story spaces as well.
There are several other options with respect to entrepreneurship he could also pursue.  His story is not unique--as I travel the country I hear the same refrain over and over. "I can't get businesses to come to my community."
To which my answer is the same: TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR OWN DESTINY AND GROW YOUR OWN!!   

Folks, for crying out loud please start to think about entrepreneurship as an answer to your downtown and commercial district business development strategies.  You can visit two of of my other websites--http://www.downtownproject.com  and http://www.retailincubation.com   to learn more.  Within a year you can have full storefronts and you can control(to a certain degree) the retail mix. Stop complaining and get going!!!

As the economy continues to contract, as gas prices increase, as the dollar continues to weaken or stay the same, and as Big Box Retailers continue to blight the landscape, the creation of new interesting downtowns  through entrepreneurship development is the answer.   We need to start thinking in terms of entrepreneur attraction--not business attraction!

Chuck


Chuck D'Aprix
Principal
Economic Development Visions
THE RETAIL INCUBATION GROUP
The Downtown Entrepreneurship Project
Washington, DC
202-248-9715
www.economicvisions.com
www.retailincubation.com 
www.downtownproject.com
www.DAPRIXBLOG.com