Where do we grow from here? Moving forward with downtown survey results

Requests from the about 350 people surveyed range from general, like add more stores downtown, to specific suggestions, like bring in Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant.

Nearly 75 percent of those surveyed placed high priority on expanding and recruiting business.

"The biggest thing we're taking from the Main Street Analysis Survey is just a confirmation of our goal to get other stores throughout the community," said Le Mars Main Street Director Mary Reynolds. "One thing the chamber doesn't like to see is an empty building. The Chamber's no. 1 goal is to recruit, assist individuals moving a business here or opening a new business."

Business recruitment is ongoing, she said.

"In the past four or five weeks, we've met with different realtors to show five businesses buildings that are open around Le Mars," Reynolds said.

The businesses considering locating in Le Mars were a variety, and several were invited by the Le Mars Area Chamber of Commerce.

"However, one major chain and another business called us," Reynolds added.

The surveys and analysis pointed out three needs the community feels it has in terms of adding businesses, she said.

Dressing it up

In the survey, 124 people said they would support a new clothing business in Le Mars.

Most requests were simply for a general store, but 38 people requested children's or family clothing, and 26 asked for additional women's clothing downtown.

Seven suggested adding a men's clothing store.

"(Add a) guys' clothing store like Aeropostale for 15-30 year olds," one said.

According to the analysis, clothing businesses are difficult to recruit for downtown business districts, but Le Mars' existing cluster of clothing and accessory businesses downtown makes downtown Le Mars "a destination for clothing."

"Still," the analysis report added, "the best prospects may be realized in opportunities for existing businesses to expand into new merchandise lines."

Eating out

As for adding dining options, 68 people made requests on the surveys.

Several suggested adding a café downtown, while others asked for an "American food" restaurant and a few mentioned a fast food chain.

The downtown analysis pointed out that residents living within a 20-minute drive from the center of downtown Le Mars are spending about $4 million at restaurants in other communities.

Most of the money leaving Le Mars is spent at full-service restaurants -- those that offer waiter service during the entire meal.

That situation, the analysis report stated, might suggest prospects are good for existing restaurants to expand or new establishments to open in Le Mars, especially full-service ones.

New prescription

Pharmacy requests were also high on the survey, with 48 people mentioning recruiting a pharmacy specifically.

Some suggested a new pharmacy combined with a variety store or a soda fountain.

The analysis report said the demand in Le Mars for a downtown pharmacy was "relatively strong."

General merchandise requests on the survey were equally prominent -- showing up in 50 people's answers.

About one-half said they'd like to see a department store added downtown, including names like JCPenney, Younkers and Kohl's.

The other half sought discount and variety stores like Ben Franklin and other discount centers.

These four businesses were the most frequently requested, but survey answers offered a creative variety of possibilities.

An acupuncture business, an antique shop, a book store, a music store, a cigar shop, and other specialty shops were also suggested.

On with the show

Adding entertainment to the downtown, especially updating or replacing the movie theater, was a major survey request.

When the Royal T III movie theater closed last week, that issue came to a head.

"The Chamber is working very hard to find a new owner," Reynolds said. "We've had one person from across the U.S. and three other local people show interest."

A few years ago, she said, there was a group interested in opening a theater south of Le Mars.

"That did not come to fruition," Reynolds said. "Now with the dialysis center downtown we need something nice for people to turn to. We'd like to see the theater restored to its initial glory for a nostalgic return to that 'going to the movie' experience."

How to recruit

The analysis report suggested capitalizing on repeat business -- it found the most people shop in downtown Le Mars for cards, gifts, clothing and shoes.

"As a cluster, these business types work to enhance the 'draw' for downtown Le Mars and could serve as strong building blocks for business expansion and recruitment efforts," the report stated.

Le Mars planners, the report added, should look for business growth opportunities that compliment these businesses and service businesses like banks, which draw the most people downtown Le Mars.

The analysis also pointed out that Le Mars draws customers from outside the community for auto sales and parts, specialty food stores and limited-service eating places (like fast food restaurants).

These strengths can be expanded upon, the report said.

The places Le Mars loses shoppers to other communities -- department stores, home furnishing stores, building materials stores, gas stations, health and personal care stores and full-service restaurants -- might suggest unmet needs in the community, the report added.

The Chamber is reviving an advisory committee to help with downtown recruiting ideas, Reynolds said.

"It's 15-20 people, including all the bank presidents, who can help hone in on what are our areas of need for new business so we can target them more closely," Reynolds said.

That group, the Business Improvement Committee, can then give direction to city planners, she said.

"Our preference is expanding existing businesses, but we're open to new ones coming in as well," Reynolds added.

In a survey of more than 20 businesses, about 43 percent said it was highly or moderately likely they would expand in the next one or two years.

In addition, about 15 percent of the businesses surveyed said they'd likely expand their inventory in the next year, and another 15 percent said they'd likely add employees in that same time period.

These are positive indicators for downtown Le Mars, the analysis report stated.

Downtown appeal

More than 50 people commented on the appearance of downtown Le Mars in the survey, asking for updates and renovations.

Several urged planners to consider setting a unified theme for downtown, similar to the Dutch look of Orange City.

The biggest request was improving the look of storefronts.

Others suggested improving the theater's outside appearance, restoring the top levels of buildings and putting up more seasonal decorations in stores.

Reynolds said transforming some upstairs apartments of businesses is among her five-year goals. She'd like to see them revamped with a more funky, modern look to draw young professionals.

"These apartments could be a good second source of income for store owners," she said.

Only 12 percent of those surveyed put high priority on creating more downtown housing.

The analysis report suggested adding to the "Ice Cream Capital of the World" theme in the next few years.

Keep both the local resident and the "Ice Cream Capital of the World" visitor in mind when approaching public improvements, the report said.

"We haven't capitalized on it to the level it should be done," Reynolds said. "It's going to come in increments. We are working on three different projects right now that focus on ice cream."

Listening to the community

One major course of action the analysis suggested was to keep an ear to public input on any downtown improvements.

"This is a good start -- asking the citizens," one respondent wrote on the survey.

The survey is just that, the beginning, Reynolds said.

"We plan to visit with every business in the community and talk more in depth about this," she explained. "And secondly, we're forming a focus group of people to meet and look at the study, see what we can build on and what things we can fix."

The group will city officials, business people and citizens from all demographics, Reynolds said.

"We want to get their directions, as well as our Main Street Committees,'" she said. "We need to move forward to try to implement some of those changes."

Free copies of the survey and analysis results are available at the Chamber office.