Economic development professionals wear a lot of hats.
On any given day, they may be meeting with an existing employer, answering questions from a developer, preparing for a city council meeting, responding to a prospect, or coordinating with local stakeholders. Adding national retail recruitment to that list can feel overwhelming—especially when building relationships with retailers requires specialized industry knowledge, time, and consistent outreach.
For Haley Bowers, Economic Development Manager for the City of La Porte, Texas, partnering with Retail Strategies made an immediate difference.
After just eight months as a client, the City of La Porte experienced firsthand what can happen when retail recruitment becomes a dedicated priority instead of another item on an already full to-do list.
Immediate Value from Industry Relationships
For many communities, the first national retail conference can be intimidating. Hundreds of retailers, developers, brokers, and site selectors gather in one place, making it difficult for municipal leaders to know where to focus their time.
That’s where having an experienced retail recruitment partner matters.
Reflecting on the City’s first conference with Retail Strategies, Bowers said the value was immediate.
“Just from the first trade show we had earlier this year, immediately, we saw the value. The conversations that were had on our behalf and the meetings that Retail Strategies was having. For the City of La Porte, it was immediate results.”
– Haley Bowers, Economic Development Manager with City of La Porte, TX
Rather than trying to navigate every retailer meeting herself, Bowers had a dedicated team representing La Porte throughout the conference.
Retail Strategies held meetings with expanding brands, shared community opportunities, and reported back on every conversation, giving the City a running start rather than leaving with a stack of business cards and unanswered questions.
Retail Recruitment Isn’t Simple, and That’s Okay
One of the biggest misconceptions in economic development is that retail recruitment is simply asking a retailer to open a location.
In reality, successful recruitment depends on market analysis, trade area data, available real estate, retailer site criteria, timing, and relationships developed over months—and often years. Retail Strategies helps communities navigate every step of that process through a structured recruitment program built on data, real estate expertise, and direct engagement with retailers.
Bowers understands just how many moving pieces are involved.
“The retail industry is very nuanced, and there are so many pieces to the puzzle, and it’s not a simple equation.”
She continued:
“Retail Strategies has really helped bridge a lot of those gaps that we were missing in our community.”
For communities with limited staff, having experienced professionals who understand retailers’ expectations and site-selection criteria can dramatically improve the effectiveness of recruitment efforts.
Becoming an Extension of Your Economic Development Team
Perhaps the greatest benefit Bowers described wasn’t simply the meetings or conversations with retailers; it was the ability to focus on everything else her role requires.
Economic development professionals rarely have the luxury of concentrating on a single initiative. Existing business retention, workforce development, permitting, marketing, and community relations all compete for attention.
By handling retailer outreach and conference meetings, Retail Strategies allowed La Porte’s staff to maximize their time.
As Bowers explained:
“We’re at the trade show, and I have people having meetings on my behalf, allowing me to go and do the other part of my job, which is to spread the good news about my city.”
That approach reflects how Retail Strategies partners with communities every day—serving as an extension of local staff by combining market analysis, real estate expertise, relationships with retailers, and ongoing representation at industry events.
Instead of asking already-busy economic developers to become retail real estate experts overnight, communities gain an experienced team focused solely on connecting their markets with expanding retailers.
Why Communities Choose Retail Strategies
La Porte’s experience reflects challenges faced by communities across the country:
- Limited staff capacity to manage retail recruitment.
- Difficulty building relationships with national retailers.
- Complex site selection processes that require specialized knowledge.
- The need to balance retail attraction with dozens of other economic development responsibilities.
Retail Strategies helps communities overcome these obstacles by providing:
- Market analysis and retail leakage studies.
- Site assessments and real estate expertise.
- Direct outreach to retailers, brokers, and developers.
- Representation at national and regional retail conferences.
- Strategic guidance throughout the retail recruitment process.
The goal isn’t simply to identify opportunities—it’s to create meaningful conversations with retailers that lead to long-term investment in the community.
A Partnership That Expands Your Reach
When asked whether she would recommend Retail Strategies to other communities, Bowers didn’t hesitate.
“I would recommend Retail Strategies to other communities that are looking for help recruiting retail because they make it so simple.”
She concluded by describing perhaps the biggest advantage of the partnership:
“I have people working here that are also doing that, but recruiting more brands. It’s really helping spread out our footprint here.”
For economic development organizations with lean teams and ambitious goals, that’s exactly what a successful partnership should do.
Instead of trying to do everything internally, communities gain a team of retail recruitment professionals working alongside them—building relationships with retailers, representing the community at industry events, and helping position the city for long-term retail success.
Ready to Strengthen Your Community’s Retail Recruitment Efforts?
Retail recruitment takes time, relationships, and specialized expertise. Whether your community is preparing for its first retail conference or looking to build a long-term recruitment strategy, Retail Strategies can help your team attract the retailers that fit your market and support your economic development goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Retail Strategies do for economic development organizations?
Retail Strategies partners with cities, counties, and economic development organizations to recruit national retailers and restaurants. The team provides market analysis, retail leakage studies, real estate assessments, retailer outreach, and representation at industry events such as ICSC. Rather than simply delivering a report, Retail Strategies serves as an extension of a community’s staff, helping connect local opportunities with expanding retail brands.
Why do cities hire a retail recruitment consultant?
Many economic development teams have limited staff and are responsible for business retention, workforce development, planning, tourism, and community engagement. Retail recruitment requires specialized knowledge, retailer relationships, and ongoing outreach that can be difficult to manage alongside these responsibilities. A retail recruitment consultant provides the industry expertise and dedicated focus needed to attract retailers while allowing local staff to concentrate on other community priorities.
How long does retail recruitment take?
Retail recruitment is a long-term process. From the first introduction to a retailer through site selection, negotiations, permitting, construction, and opening day, the timeline often ranges from 18 to 36 months. Communities that consistently invest in retail recruitment and maintain relationships with retailers are generally better positioned for long-term success than those pursuing one-time recruitment efforts.
What happens at ICSC, and why is it important?
ICSC conferences bring together retailers, restaurant brands, developers, brokers, landlords, and economic development professionals from across North America. These events provide communities with opportunities to introduce available sites, discuss development projects, and build relationships with retailers actively evaluating new markets. Experienced retail recruitment professionals help communities maximize these events by scheduling meetings, presenting market opportunities, and following up with retailers after the conference.
How does Retail Strategies help communities at retail conferences?
Retail Strategies represents client communities before, during, and after major retail conferences. The team schedules meetings with qualified retail prospects, presents market data, discusses available sites, and maintains conversations with retailers throughout the recruitment process. This allows community leaders to attend stakeholder meetings, network with partners, and promote their city while knowing retail outreach is actively taking place on their behalf.
What makes Retail Strategies different from other retail recruitment firms?
Retail Strategies combines market data, licensed real estate expertise, and long-standing relationships with retailers into a single recruitment program. The team analyzes communities the way retailers do, identifies sites that match retailer criteria, and conducts direct outreach to decision-makers. The result is a partnership focused on generating retailer conversations, supporting site selection, and helping communities move from strategy to signed deals.
