Stores in the downtown core are closing their doors too soon, and not opening them often enough, said an Okotoks development manager.
Angela Groeneveld, economic development manager for the Town of Okotoks, presented the Economic Development Implementation Plan 2019-2020 at the council meeting on March 11, and highlighted goals to create a vibrant downtown core - if stores open their doors.
“I’ve been having this conversation for over 20 years,” said Groeneveld. on March 12. “The consistency of hours leads to confidence in shopping.”
Groeneveld explained that when box stores open in rural communities, they offer consistent hours that work for the working demographic that small-businesses often don’t. This has led to the perception that Okotoks is closed on Sundays - or at least the downtown core is.
“Now that box stores are coming in to rural communities, small business owners have a choice to make,” she said. “And the decision is not right or wrong, it’s what you want your outcome to be.”
For business owners who want to capitalize on business, Groeneveld said they need to be aware of when their primary buyers are available to shop, and when secondary buyers are out and making impulse buying decisions.
“Economic development is going to do the resources, we’re going to bring in the support systems, we’re going to bring in the tools to help the downtown, but the balancing part is I need the business owners to also participate in this,” she said. “And if they don’t, they ‘re going to lose out.”
Part of the Implementation Plan includes promoting the downtown core to outside communities, but Groeneveld stressed that it is up to the business owners to leverage that traffic.
Working with local business stakeholders, who are mandated to support and teach entrepreneurial skills, Groeneveld hopes to provide support for small businesses who might need it so that everyone can do
their part.
Concerns regarding store hours from the community range from businesses closing too early on weekdays and being inaccessible to the commuter population, to not being open on Sundays.
“Honestly, you can shoot a cannon down the street on Sundays,” said Sherry Lindenback, owner of 94 Take the Cake on Elma Street.
For Lindenback, marketing to people from outside of Okotoks should be a priority for businesses. Believing that Okotoks has a lot to offer, she is frustrated with the hours the downtown core keeps.
“The biggest obstacle I’m finding is I have been open on Sundays since day one,” she said. “It is something I do feel passionate about and I think that is a big retail day when you have a retail business, because people have the day off and they want to go and spend the time to go have a nice coffee or a nice lunch.”
For Lindenback, a few businesses being open on Sunday isn’t enough to draw in a larger crowd, though she experiences a loyal Sunday clientele.
“It’s the attitude of people in general that know that Okotoks shuts down on Sundays and it’s really true, so now what they end up doing is they go to Calgary because there’s nothing here open,” she said. “So it does affect me, I should be even more busy on Sundays, but like I said you can shoot a cannon down Main Street and you wouldn’t hit anybody, because it’s just locked up.
“I get it, I’m a small business owner, it’s nice to have a day where you’re closed, and a lot of Okotoks businesses are also closed on Mondays. While I get that, I’m open seven days a week.
“We’re in a tough economy and you need to be available for when the people that want to be out and shopping are available.”
Robin Mitchell, a director with the Okotoks Chamber of Commerce and owner of RAM Accounting and Consulting, echoed the same complaints.
“While business owners are saying they have no business and no one is coming downtown, the general community is saying yeah, but you guys aren’t open when we are available to come and solicit your stores,” said Mitchell.
While Mitchell recognized the role of the Town and Chamber of Commerce in helping remove the red tape limiting business owners in the downtown core, she maintained that generating ground floor revenue is up to the business owner.
“That comes down to the business owner knowing their business, knowing the economy that’s going on in Okotoks, and knowing the demographic of the population of Okotoks,” she said. “If you know in advance that the population of Okotoks leans towards being a bedroom community, perhaps you open your business from 3-8 p.m., instead of opening at 10 and closing at 5.”
The unavailability of store hours extends beyond the limitations to daily business, and into special events. A common thread throughout the community was the Hometown Hockey event, and the disappointment that the majority of businesses were closed.
Referring to Monkey Mountain’s success during the event, Mitchell said that while the weather certainly didn’t do anyone any favours, the opportunity for business was there in the form of providing event-goers a place to warm up.
Tribal Connection Market was also open both days, and experienced a significant increase in customers, said owner Jodi Loverin. The experience on Sunday, however, was that the downtown core was largely closed up, regardless of Sunday holding the main attractions for the event, said Mitchell.
Recognizing that not every business can or should be open on Sunday, Mitchell believes being open for events could only benefit businesses in the downtown core.
“And this is maybe where the Town or chamber can play a role. Is it that these business owners are not being made aware of these events, or is that they are not making themselves aware of these events?” she said.
For Mitchell, businesses should co-ordinate their efforts with events in the community. Suggesting that business owners hand out coupons to their shops or directions at the games, Mitchell views those efforts as ways to market to clientele that wouldn’t otherwise know the business existed.
“At some point, it’s just about the rise and grind… Yeah, it takes time, but what’s it worth to you?” she said. “If businesses in Okotoks want to create that buzz for themselves, they have to do it themselves. It’s not about the Town, it’s not about the chamber, it’s about your own rise and grind.”
