VAN DAMME IT’S FRIDAY!

I think a key to any successful business is the ability to evolve. I’m not talking about changing overnight, but dexterity in thinking is crucial to be able to adapt to our ever changing society. I believe that is one of our strengths of FortThomasMatters.

We are a completely different organization from where we started in 2007 to where we are today. From a sounding board to help run for City Council, to a fledgeling opinion site, to a legitimate news organization with a staff of 7 writers, to a charitable arm of giving, to a dynamic Public Relations team for our advertisers.

Today marks the day of another change. A sustained champion for a SHOP FORT THOMAS campaign. 



There have been well-intentioned attempts at these campaigns before. The Fort Thomas Business Association and the City of Fort Thomas partnered together to spend time and money on their SHOP Fort Thomas campaign. It was basically a website provided by another company that was linked on both of the websites, with specials/deals/coupons from local businesses.

The problem was that the company running the site was not local. The FTBA and the City had the right idea, they just did not have the platform to make it go.

With our readership at 40,000 per month strong and now a platform in The Fort Thomas Living, we obviously do. I almost feel an obligation to our businesses, our business owners and our city to bust my tail to learn what it takes to evolve into a SHOP LOCAL Champion.

There are many in depth studies that demonstrate the power of SHOP LOCAL. In an effort to keep your attention, I’ll list those below for your perusal and simply do my best to tell you the best three reasons to consider SHOP FORT THOMAS:

1) Keeping our money here keeps our money here. I know that sounds redundant, but it doesn’t make it any less true. Tax revenues from these businesses allows our officials to keep our city clean, safe and beautiful. Getting Fort Thomas out of the mind set to driving to Cincinnati, Newport or Covington for what they can get in town is going to be a tough endeavor, but a worthwhile one.

2) Buy LOCAL campaigns WORK!

 3. We have undertaken a cash mob at The Blue Marble and talked about Small Business Saturday on FTM over the last few years. But this SHOP FORT THOMAS campaign has to be more sustained. Independents Week starts the first week in July. My pledge to our readers, our city and our advertisers is to get something in place by then.

This SHOP FORT THOMAS campaign becomes more important with the retailers moving in right down the road at Newport Pavilion. I’m as excited as anyone over the developments down Grand Ave and onto Carothers Road. But the fact of the matters is this:

If we can get Fort Thomas residents to just start to think Fort Thomas before getting in their car and going elsewhere, our city will be even greater than it already is.

Panera Bread Co. coming to the Pavilion is being met with great optimism. But how many residents have been into Cobblestone Cafe? It’s packed everyday because it’s unbelievably good. But if we can begin to start to shift our thinking to think Cobblestone over Panera first – THAT’S OUR GOAL.

A small shift, but an important one. It simply means more to Fort Thomas than national chains. Because I learn from pictures more than words, I’ll leave you with one more about how much more it means to a local shop and its city, compared to a chain store.

We can do this Fort Thomas!

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