Oftentimes, someone will recommend that the economic development office should contact a particular restaurant or retailer to put Canton on their radar, “Canton could use a ____ store,” or “It would be nice if we had a ____ in town.” The blanks can be filled with a variety of establishments.
These suggestions are appreciated. More often than not, they create interesting conversations with concerned citizens who want to see Canton grow and prosper. It also provides insight to community preference and desirability for support of such businesses. These are typically good indicators for targeted business recruitment efforts.
Site selection, especially for regional and national chains, can be a deliberate process. Everything from incomes, crime, education, age, traffic, visibility, competition, major employers, ethnic composition and parking are several factors that are given a close look as an area is assessed.
However, many can also loosen up on their checkpoints if trends and forecasts show positive changes for a community in the future. The economic development office welcomes any recommendations for commercial businesses you would like to see stake their claim here. The office stays in constant contact with leasing agents, brokers, developers and corporate representatives to keep local development and redevelopment opportunities on their minds.
Taking nothing from the many great establishments we already enjoy here, but economics and preferences are always changing. It is better that we stay on top of trends and remain vibrant by welcoming new businesses into our existing commercial mix.
An outcome of our recruitment efforts and growth has been an increase in tax revenues associated with commercial development. The realized revenues allow the City to fund the local services on which we all depend.
Additionally, our commercial tax base increase is healthy for our economy, as it creates jobs, local and touristic spending as well as an enhancement of quality of life. These results stem from simply making contact with businesses and developers that are willing to invest here, and the better we know what citizens want to see, the more assurance we have of community support and excitement if the location decision becomes a “yes.” So your input on the types of establishments you desire to see in Canton is most welcomed. Suggestions become leads, and leads can become wins.
At the end of the day, commercial establishments rely on community support of their businesses. If that support can be expressed on the front-end of a location decision, it helps all the more substantiate support if or when the business chooses to locate here.
Can you think of a retailer or restaurant that you would like to see come to Canton? Send us an email or give us a call. A simple conversation could become a wonderful, city-changing opportunity. Do not hesitate to send leads our way.
to your business!