I hear a lot from citizens who ask me to bring in a
particular retailer or restaurant. Right after the ask comes this comment, “If
I want to shop/eat at that type of establishment I have to go to Johnson City
or Bristol!” Let me tell you, I understand! There are times that I find myself
going to Johnson City to eat or shop verses a local business. Sometimes it’s
due to convenience (I’m already over there for another reason) while other
times it’s intentional (I really want a big steak from Texas Roadhouse).
The concerning part is that new retailers and restaurants
look at and gather information about how much money is spent in a community
before they locate there. For example, if we were recruiting a Ruby Tuesday’s
or Cheddar’s and we met all of their site requirements (population size,
household income, available property, average age, traffic counts, etc), they
would ask some of the existing businesses like Applebee’s, Fatz, and Beef
O’Brady’s how business was and how, say, the Elizabethton Applebee’s compared
to the other Applebee’s in Northeast Tennessee (did they have more sales than
most, how many customers did they have on average, what was the most popular
food item, etc). If Applebee’s here responded saying they are below the average
for sales compared to the rest of Northeast Tennessee and Fatz says the same
thing, that would cause Ruby Tuesday’s or Cheddar’s to seriously reconsider
whether they want to location here in Elizabethton.
This story became a reality when a little over a year ago
when we were trying to recruit an off-price department store. They were
interested in coming into Elizabethton and felt that it would be a good market
for this particular brand. Upon my final contact with the real estate manager,
she had some concerns regarding information she had received from Peebles and
Burkes regarding their sales verses what they anticipated them to be. With the
closing of the Rue21 in Elizabethton and with the company having a sister brand
located in Johnson City, they ultimately decided not to locate in Elizabethton
at this time. Hopefully they will give us another look in a year!
This is one known example. I know that Peebles and Burkes
may not have everything we all want, but all I ask is that you give local
businesses a first shot. After all, you likely have to drive near or right past
downtown or the West Elk commercial area to get to Johnson City! The same goes
for our local restaurants. It’s fine to go to Johnson City or Bristol to
celebrate an anniversary or maybe a birthday, but if you’re just short on time
one Friday evening try to go to Fatz, Jiggy Rays, or Primo’s rather than Smokey
Bones, Main Street Pizza, or Olive Garden in Johnson City. The more we spend in
Elizabethton, the more we help Elizabethton grow. Let’s talk about it!