What a great time of year, as families gather together to celebrate their connections and traditions! I look at our entire community as a family, in a way. And I certainly look to our Historic Square as the heart of this Monroe family.
I'm not implying that the Main Street District is free of occasional dysfunctional moments, which exist in all families, (including my own), but our downtown is ever connected in the thoughts of Monroe residents as well as our out-of-town visitors, as being the heart of our community.
I want to thank the many Main Street volunteers who give their time and energy to keeping our "heart" healthy. The members of the Main Street board, including Ryan Wilson, Mike Sanders, John Baumann, Dan Henke, Nancy Maliszewski, Ron Spielman, Mike Doyle, Diane Phillips and Chairman Dr. David Riese each are busy individuals who find the time to direct this revitalization program. The members and chairmen of the four standing committees also deserve recognition for their continued work following the Main Street four-point approach. These volunteers have invested in a strong downtown with great expectations ahead.
The strength of the downtown was evident from the results of the downtown Monroe Business Owner Survey that I highlighted last month. This survey was conducted locally and ably tabulated and released by the UW Extension Center of Community and Economic Development http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/ economies/mainstreet/index.cfm.
More than 50 percent of responding businesses indicated they had been in business for more than 20 years, signaling success and dedication. That there is a 5 percent vacancy rate for retail space available in downtown Monroe is astounding in comparison to the national average for shopping mall vacancies in 2008, just released, being reported at 28 percent. (And, as a side note on this data, shopping mall renters who have bailed recently include businesses such as Foot Locker, Linens & Such, Lane Bryant and Zales). It also was revealed that Big Name Retail Outlets have been scaled down by 25 percent in a report of global economics released by a Mish's trend report published in April. I doubt that has changed for the better at present.
Business operators reported in our local Monroe survey that quality and variety of products and personal customer service are their strengths in this market. There is a strong sense of pride in doing business downtown and the toughest competition felt by these merchants is identified as from chain stores and out-of-town businesses.
Sen. Jon Erpenbach promoted local shopping for the benefit of the community in his recent state report. I'd like to take his thoughts a bit further. Monroe businesses, whether in the downtown or on the west side, chose to locate here to serve our regional needs. These businesses are all part of that family I mentioned earlier. For $100 spent in Monroe, at the very least, $18 will be reinvested back into wages, benefits and re-circulated here. If $100 is spent at a locally owned business, $56 likely will be retained within our local economy, through wages and benefits, sales and property taxes, but primarily re-circulated into other local goods, services and most significant through charitable contributions and community support that local business owners provide throughout the year. Obviously, $100 spent outside of our local area provides no return. Shopping local just makes sense (and more cents).
I hope you will make plans to enjoy the Winter Wonderland Parade at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 p.m. on our Historic Square. Once again, Precision Drive and Control will provide the power to light up the parade. It is strongly suspected that a special guest in a bright red suit may be arriving in Monroe that night. Noon Optimist members will be ready to host his reception at Wisconsin Community Bank after the parade, providing cookies, cocoa and crafts. Photo opportunities with Santa also will be available, thanks to Creative Photography. Enjoy the season.
Merry Christmas from Main Street.
- Barb Nelson is director of Monroe Main Street. She writes a monthly update on the organization for the Monroe Times. She can be reached at 328-4023.
I'm not implying that the Main Street District is free of occasional dysfunctional moments, which exist in all families, (including my own), but our downtown is ever connected in the thoughts of Monroe residents as well as our out-of-town visitors, as being the heart of our community.
I want to thank the many Main Street volunteers who give their time and energy to keeping our "heart" healthy. The members of the Main Street board, including Ryan Wilson, Mike Sanders, John Baumann, Dan Henke, Nancy Maliszewski, Ron Spielman, Mike Doyle, Diane Phillips and Chairman Dr. David Riese each are busy individuals who find the time to direct this revitalization program. The members and chairmen of the four standing committees also deserve recognition for their continued work following the Main Street four-point approach. These volunteers have invested in a strong downtown with great expectations ahead.
The strength of the downtown was evident from the results of the downtown Monroe Business Owner Survey that I highlighted last month. This survey was conducted locally and ably tabulated and released by the UW Extension Center of Community and Economic Development http://www.uwex.edu/ces/cced/ economies/mainstreet/index.cfm.
More than 50 percent of responding businesses indicated they had been in business for more than 20 years, signaling success and dedication. That there is a 5 percent vacancy rate for retail space available in downtown Monroe is astounding in comparison to the national average for shopping mall vacancies in 2008, just released, being reported at 28 percent. (And, as a side note on this data, shopping mall renters who have bailed recently include businesses such as Foot Locker, Linens & Such, Lane Bryant and Zales). It also was revealed that Big Name Retail Outlets have been scaled down by 25 percent in a report of global economics released by a Mish's trend report published in April. I doubt that has changed for the better at present.
Business operators reported in our local Monroe survey that quality and variety of products and personal customer service are their strengths in this market. There is a strong sense of pride in doing business downtown and the toughest competition felt by these merchants is identified as from chain stores and out-of-town businesses.
Sen. Jon Erpenbach promoted local shopping for the benefit of the community in his recent state report. I'd like to take his thoughts a bit further. Monroe businesses, whether in the downtown or on the west side, chose to locate here to serve our regional needs. These businesses are all part of that family I mentioned earlier. For $100 spent in Monroe, at the very least, $18 will be reinvested back into wages, benefits and re-circulated here. If $100 is spent at a locally owned business, $56 likely will be retained within our local economy, through wages and benefits, sales and property taxes, but primarily re-circulated into other local goods, services and most significant through charitable contributions and community support that local business owners provide throughout the year. Obviously, $100 spent outside of our local area provides no return. Shopping local just makes sense (and more cents).
I hope you will make plans to enjoy the Winter Wonderland Parade at 6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5 p.m. on our Historic Square. Once again, Precision Drive and Control will provide the power to light up the parade. It is strongly suspected that a special guest in a bright red suit may be arriving in Monroe that night. Noon Optimist members will be ready to host his reception at Wisconsin Community Bank after the parade, providing cookies, cocoa and crafts. Photo opportunities with Santa also will be available, thanks to Creative Photography. Enjoy the season.
Merry Christmas from Main Street.
- Barb Nelson is director of Monroe Main Street. She writes a monthly update on the organization for the Monroe Times. She can be reached at 328-4023.
