Downtown Collaborative Forum

On November 17, 2009, we held a "downtown collaborative forum"... [Needs text. Also, Becky Gorman may have a photo that can be included here.]

Consumer research: Surveys at Fort Knox

We conducted a customer survey of the Fort Knox Army family and found that their greatest need was for more dining and entertainment options. While many members of the Army family currently dine at Elizabethtown restaurants, there are currently no sit-down dining options downtown. They also expressed desire for additional variety in restaurants. (Click on the chart to see a larger image.)

Consumer spending on restaurant dining: Local and regional buying power

Typical households in Hardin County spend, on average, $2,825 per year on food away from home, with total buying power in E-town estimated at $56 million and Hardin County at $117 million. Restaurants in the region are currently estimated to be capturing a sales surplus, probably because the chain restaurants on Ring Road are attracting customers from beyond the immediate region.

Consumer spending on restaurant dining: BRAC adds to consumer buying power

As Fort Knox expands, it will add to the buying power of regional consumers. BRAC anticipates a net permanent regional population gain of 11,499 people (including families), or approximately 4,637 households. This addition raises the county’s estimated buying power by about $13 million. Assuming restaurant sales in the county remain about the same, the new buying power will turn the small current sales surplus into a sales void. The $1 million sales surplus is expected to become a $12 million sales void, creating a stronger market for additional restaurants.

Consumer research: Focus groups

We conducted six focus groups with participation from many community members. A family-friendly restaurant is most likely to have cross-over appeal to residents and their families, and married officers and enlisted and their families.

Consumer desires: Restaurant concept and theme

Based on consumer research, Elizabethtown community members, and the Fort Knox Army family, prefer a restaurant that offers a family-friendly environment at a moderate price-point. It's important to both groups that alcoholic beverages be available. They have wide-ranging tastes in cuisine. Many pub-type chain-restaurant options are already available on Ring Road. A new downtown restaurant might be able to incorporate a menu of various international selections with broad appeal.

Barriers to restaurant development downtown

Several barriers exist to downtown restaurant development:

Buildings are in various states of repair, but many are in poor condition.
Foot traffic on the sidewalks is low.
Building codes must be adapted to historic building constraints.
Seating minimums for alcohol licensing currently cannot be met in most downtown buildings.
Entrepreneurs lack capital (and expertise) to start a new enterprise.

Potential incentives in downtown Elizabethtown

In order to attract a restaurant downtown, we need to consider:

Adapting codes and liquor licensing to the size and constraints of downtown buildings.
Provide possible rent abatements during a start-up perios.
Consider a joint venture (e.g., between the City and a downtown property owner).
Establish a community investment fund to provide capital to an entrepreneur.

Worker-owned restaurant: Moosewood Restaurant

Moosewood Restaurant is a renowned vegetarian restaurant in Ithaca, NY, founded in 1973. It is operated as a "collective" -- a worker-owned cooperative -- by its 19 owners. The owners are also the chefs and function in other staff capacities. The Moosewood Collective has published 12 cookbooks.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bettinche/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Community investor group: Firefly Restaurant

Firefly Restaurant was started by a small group of local investor/businesspeople in Effingham, IL. The group of 18 incorporated, capitalized the business, and developed the restaurant building. The restaurant owners are Kristie & Niall Campbell, a husband-wife team. Kristie is a native of Effingham with banking and marketing experience; Niall is a professional chef. They are co-investors in Firefly. The restaurant opened in 2006.

Cooperatively-owned restaurant: The New Deal Cafe

The New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt, MD, is a restaurant, art gallery, music venue, and community gathering spot. It is run as a cooperative, owned by its members. The board employs a general manager and some members work the bar, or as servers, on weekends. The New Deal Cafe began as an all-volunteer operation in 1999.