FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Courtney Hall
Retail Strategies
chall@retailstrategies.com
BIRMINGHAM, AL (August 1, 2024) – The Blacksburg Partnership, the lead catalyst for economic development in Blacksburg, Virginia, is pleased to announce a new collaboration with strategic partner, Retail Strategies. Retail Strategies, one of the nation’s leading community and economic development consulting firms, will focus on Blacksburg’s retail recruitment strategy, downtown revitalization efforts, and business retention through supporting small business owners.
Initially funded by the Town of Blacksburg through its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, this comprehensive partnership signifies a pivotal step towards improving the economic landscape of Blacksburg. By leveraging Retail Strategies’ community development expertise and resources, the Blacksburg Partnership intends to amplify its efforts to enhance the local business climate and stimulate sustainable growth across the community.
“At the Blacksburg Partnership, we are dedicated to fostering an environment where businesses thrive and our community flourishes,” said Ann Cassell, President of the Blacksburg Partnership. “Our partnership with Retail Strategies represents a significant stride towards realizing this vision. Combining our local insights with Retail Strategies’ proven methodologies, we look forward to implementing targeted initiatives that aim to bring even more life to our downtown, attract new retail establishments, and assist our existing small business community in Blacksburg.”
Following are the services Retail Strategies is providing to the Blacksburg Partnership:
Retail Recruitment: Retail Strategies will deploy their expertise in analyzing consumer data and conducting comprehensive market and real estate analyses to uncover Blacksburg’s market potential. Through cataloging retail properties across the Town and engaging with property owners, Retail Strategies will identify expanding businesses that align with the Town’s needs. The partnership will develop and implement strategies to present prime real estate opportunities to retail decision-makers, driving significant economic growth in the region.
To date, the Market and Real Estate analyses have been performed with a market visit in April. The Town of Blacksburg received representation at ICSC Las Vegas in May and stakeholders will be presented with an official Retail Recruitment plan in the coming months.
Downtown Revitalization: The Downtown Strategies division of Retail Strategies will spearhead a three-year partnership to create and implement a five-year strategic action plan focused on project-oriented, short-term strategies. This initiative will provide dedicated support for downtown revitalization efforts, ensuring that Blacksburg’s downtown area evolves into a vibrant hub of activity and commerce while preserving its unique character and charm.
Downtown Strategies presented at the Blacksburg Partnership Board Retreat in April, facilitating a discussion about challenges in the off-season of college towns. The team will facilitate a Strategic Visioning Workshop in August, where they will meet with local stakeholders and an update will be given to Town Council.
Small Business Support: Recognizing the importance of small businesses to Blacksburg’s economy, this program will offer virtual, on-demand training tailored for local entrepreneurs. The training will cover essential topics such as omni-channel retail strategies, restaurant resiliency, maximizing holiday buying power, and best practices for landlords. This one-year initiative will equip Blacksburg’s small business owners with the knowledge and tools needed to thrive in today’s competitive marketplace.
The program for small business owners was introduced to Downtown Blacksburg, Inc. and Main Street Connect at a joint meeting in June, with enrollment now available to all Blacksburg small businesses. These local business resources will be available to enrolled business owners for a 12-month period.
About the Blacksburg Partnership
About the Blacksburg Partnership
The Blacksburg Partnership is a catalyst for economic development by convening and collaborating with strategic partners; advocating for regional initiatives and enhanced business climate; and promoting the area to businesses, visitors, residents, and students.
For more information, visit https://stepintoblacksburg.org/.
About Retail Strategies
Retail Strategies is the national expert in community development and retail economic development. Our mission is to provide the real estate expertise, tools, and human effort that position deserving towns as alluring locations for national businesses and destinations for tourism and quality-of-life amenities. We confidently pursue this mission by delivering unparalleled customer service as a unified team with unmatched real estate and community development expertise. Our activities pay a return in sales taxes, added jobs, and businesses that enhance and add to the unique qualities of your community.
About Downtown Strategies
Downtown Strategies, a division of Retail Strategies, exists to provide realistic, implementable strategies to communities for revitalizing their downtowns. Led by a team of former downtown revitalization practitioners and real estate experts, our combination of real-world experience, plus expertise in real estate and retail uniquely qualify us to assist communities with backfilling vacancies, increasing tourism, and enhancing the sense of place in their downtowns. Serving rural communities in 25 states, Downtown Strategies is the leading national firm for downtown revitalization planning, emphasizing real estate and retail.
