06-16-2015 EDC Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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\,., trade areas of individual businesses layered on the same map and try to draw a "typical" trade area for convenience businesses and one for destination businesses. • Have individual participants shade on the map where they think the convenience and destination trade areas lie. Again,small communities may have one trade area. • Bring the group to a consensus about the trade area(s)for the overall business district. Consider using a map displayed on a computer projector for discussion and shade in this master copy as you elicit feedback from the group.Start by gaining agreement on a core area and work for consensus,working around the core area to define the extent of the trade area in each direction (north,south,east, and west).Ask questions like"At what point would a customer choose to travel to community A rather than your community?" • Some potential pitfalls of the mapping exercise approach are the potential for one or two strong-willed participants to dominate the exercise and the tendency for community merchants to inflate their trade area(s).The primary counter to these issues is to emphasize that the purpose for the exercise is to define a reasonable trade area(s) for the entire business district(not one or two merchants). The following map illustrates the development of a single trade area for the rural community of Barnesville, Minnesota. Maps provided to focus groups typically include: major roads;zip code boundaries;distances from center of community; and nearby community names.These elements are included in the map to give enough geographic context so participants can make an informed decision.This is an example of how participants used some of the map elements, `, such as a 10-mile ring or highway network,to determine the best fitting zip code trade area. Zip Codes Describing Trade Area (Shade Area) Resulting from Business Owners Focus Group I -..r. ...,. e..esai - is, a • wands ■■ -.- IR- 7