I ran across a development newsletter the other day from Clemson, SC. This appears to be the trend among small cities and communities trying to attract retail to their communities. This brings up a great point about the efforts that Fort Thomas could employ.
Many of you may be thinking but Clemson, SC must have many more resources and residents than Fort Thomas so by way of comparison here are the statistics.
- Clemson’s population is 12,000 – Fort Thomas’ population is 16,000
- Clemson University is located there which gives it a boost for retailers but is comparable to Fort Thomas given its proximity to NKU in neighboring Highland Heights.
- If you take a broader view – Clemson has a trade area of 88,000, the same population that Campbell County had in 2000.
While only a newsletter this is the type of effort that I would expect from Fort Thomas in order to bring the basic retail that our residents expect for an improved quality of life. Newsletters and other types of efforts not only communicate with investors about opportunities for retail investment but also allow communities to communicate to residents about development in town.