Buxton, a Texas-based company that matches profiles of consumers and retailers, narrowed down a list of 150 retailers that could be interested in locating to Iberia Parish, to a core list of 15.
Hobby Lobby, Target, Olive Garden, T.J. Maxx and Old Navy were some that made the core list.
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Tarantino said the trip was “very productive” and the beginning of building relationships with key people that will be necessary to bring new businesses to the Teche Area. The pair were able to present the Buxton findings to several retailers that made the core list.
“We had the right information and started the right relationships,” he said. “What’s key is to continue building on these relationships because a lot of retail expansion plans have been slowed down for ’09, but when retail picks back up nationally, we’ll have done the work so hopefully we’ll be at the top of their list.”
Attendance at the trade show reflected the retail expansion slow down Tarantino said. The show, normally attracts approximately 70,000 retailers, real estate professionals and developers but only drew a crowd of 30,000 this year.
Mayor Curry said while the Buxton study will be a useful tool to attract new businesses to the Teche Area, an area ripe for economic development she said, she stressed the opportunity of using the information to help existing businesses.
“We have arranged for them (Buxton) to come and do a public presentation so people will understand their process and also what information will be available to the public,” Curry said. “This will be a great tool for our businesses to use.”
Tarantino said the Buxton representative will likely come to New Iberia in the first half of June.
“Everyone who is interested will be invited to attend the ‘community conversation’,” Tarantino said.
Until then, anyone interested in looking through the Buxton study can call the IDF office at 367-0834 to make an appointment to view the findings. In the future, Tarantino said, he envisions a Web-based applications where all the Buxton findings will be available for the public to access.
Comments
Interesting wrote on Jun 2, 2009 10:51 AM:
To Interesting wrote on May 30, 2009 10:35 AM:
Interesting wrote on May 29, 2009 4:37 PM:
Interesting wrote on May 27, 2009 5:27 PM:
Leonard S. Pasek wrote on May 26, 2009 6:18 PM:
Leonard S. Pasek, M.A. Snapshot In Time, Inc. Tel: 770.231.4373 "
To Interesting wrote on May 26, 2009 9:12 AM:
New York wrote on May 26, 2009 8:23 AM:
Stop being so small minded and face the
facts New Iberia and surrounding areas
need change. Like your tax dollars
even come as high as other cities
that are way more productive. "
RG_New Iberia wrote on May 26, 2009 8:10 AM:
Interesting wrote on May 26, 2009 7:31 AM:
Lloyd wrote on May 25, 2009 1:43 PM: