7(b) Downtown Plan Update - Discussion

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There is sometimes a desire to try and provide everything to everyone and, in a sense,compete with a regional center like Baxter for customers. Giving in to this desire is a losing strategy,while keeping focused on what Pequot Lakes does best is a key to long-term success. Businesses in Pequot Lakes are most competitive when offering eithe�a unique experience or a custom and high-quality service. These are the things that bring people to town over and over again and capture both a tourist and a local market. The Downtown will struggle over the long run to sustain offerings that directly compete with those offered in the Brainerd/Baxter Regional Center.�he�er�-- , , . . , ' are highly accessible to the residents of Pequot Lakes. That fact will stifle the size and scale non-specialized offerings the Pequot Lakes neighborhood can support. ------_ _...___ _. �__-___ ___ ___.__� _..__- -_�i �T�� r�6r��Ea�t�� iai,�r��.��; The downtown,when fully developed,will be a significant regional attraction if the experience is different, and more pleasant,than the experience of shopping in other downtowns. The small, locally- owned shops currently provide a unique mix of products and services. This uniqueness should be capitalized on to capture a larger share of the regional market. Pequot Lakes wi�l�r�et-�e-a�le to compete regionally for some offerings. In these instances,the convenience of Downtown,combined with the personalized senrice,can help retain I�cal shoppers that may be enticed to go other places. The Downtown must maintain a mix of unique offerings that appeal to a regional market as well as convenience and quality service offerings that will retain local customers. ••i •. � , � • r : r e •i i i � � i • � i � � � • � �� r I � �lrt�ilE't �FC�f E`Ff!)pr)tE'�tt (7j (ftrc �rtF(7 PS(J�tlOi`�} �?y C7��iJt4i�lt�` pt�C7�ftt)fx7�� i7t70VP��US+i�E'iSf S fll!c ��c�� k��E.��c C?U` �t7(!C�lt1P/�Ii{�rP(j E'ft'hF'i ir'r lhrS tPC�ttlra TI)P ii)i��iS tnI;DC�+tC7I�t f)E'f�C7tlSF 51t1(�r�c gft011'1( (�PCl�E'S /t�(�/If`r jilr��(tF�;7G y�a7�;f�� (7i�I� S�-�ft��f� �)�C �%;;�tr In a tourism-based economy,the strong summer months can sometimes be augmented with Holiday shopping and an occasional winter festival. Frequently this isn't enough to support a business. Promoting some offerings that would cater to local needs,while at the same time creating opportunities for more housing units within walking distance of Downtown along with better connections,creates a supply/demand relationship that will generate more opportunity for growth i�ihe, wntown. °.f' . • � � � , � . � � � . � � � 7