Stockton Missouri

Elmwood Response?

Utica Illinois

I will continue and explore each of these priorities, although some of the implementation strategies may overlap within the five priorities I will try not be repetitive.

A Business Development Strategy

to Revitalize the Downtown Business District

I welcome your input, which I will publish here, if you want to email me.

I will probably be revising this over the next couple of days, it seems I have to reword, correct spelling, and clarify anything I write over several days. I do hope my edits lead to better writing; sometimes it seems the end result still makes the concept of better writing a debatable issue.

Five top priorities of a successful economic plan

1) Increasing profitability of Elmwood businesses

2) Twenty-first century business recruitment

3) Tri-generational sustainable development

4) Synergy in multiple economic enterprises

5) Raising Elmwood's standard of living

Synergy

The Fair Store had to close last Fall, Tammy said that it hurt her business when the Park View was not open. She had put in a great effort trying to make money in her business. The Park View brought people to town who would drop into her store. Each business being successful helped support the other. Profitability, you can never get away from profitability in a business. Elmwood needs more of a business base to achieve a dynamic economy. We need many enterprises up and functioning to help support each other. Those businesses that require people actually coming to Elmwood to function, are helped by businesses that are not dependent on local traffic. This is why the more businesses that are not dependent on the local population as customers help Elmwood. We need those type of businesses locating here in Elmwood. The better it will be for those who do need a store-front trade in the downtown if we have more people in offices working in Elmwood.

Send Your Elmwood Recovery Ideas

Study Other Recovered Communities

Greensburg KS

Parkersburg IA

Utica Illinois

If I tried to sell a business recruitment plan to Peoria or even Galesburg, and I promised we would maybe add 25 to 30 middle class jobs. Further, it would require everyone in those city's to get behind the effort, all the business interests, schools, and local governments to commit to investing in the effort. It would simply not be worth it to them. Now, turn to Elmwood what if we had 25 to 30 new families, who joined our residential real estate markets, shopping and dining in our downtown, sending their children to our schools, operating businesses as owners or tenants in Elmwood, participating in our churches and other organizations. It would be a real boon to our economy, schools, churches, etc. So this is why a business recruitment and economic development project is just as important as the building code fight. Our current problem is no one is pursuing this, no one is organizing a plan for this. I've read the current plan and it doesn't exist. Each day we wait; our opportunity to change the failing dynamic of Elmwood's current economy slips away.

Tuesday the buildings that housed Hometown Hardware, Elmwood Pharmacy, and Fair Store will be demolished. The block west of Central Park will look empty. I drew a sketch which is to the right. A new development needs to be planned for this block. We need to find partners in a new development for Elmwood. A new development that will excite a number of small businesses to want to join us here in Elmwood. We must market ourselves to them, we must be open to seeking them wherever they might currently operate. We need to use the Internet, we need to knock on doors, we need to reach out to every one in our networks of social connections to accomplish this. We must coordinate a multitude of simultaneous activities. We must form a synergy of effort to produce an economy of synergies. In the end a vibrant economy will arise from a diversity of business enterprises. Elmwood can attract a diversity of businesses. We are offering these potential allies a more productive environment, the ability to concentrate on their areas of excellence, a better life style for their employees and their families. We must improve the standard of living for our current and future citizens. It is the essential purpose of a community: to see that its schools, governments, businesses, churches, and clubs contribute to a higher standard of living.