What will it take to keep businesses downtown? Olympia, Alliance want to hear from you
The Olympia Downtown Alliance and city of Olympia want the community to take a survey to help inform a business recruitment and retention strategy for downtown.
They say the final plan will do three things: identify shops and restaurants to bring downtown, identify existing businesses the city and ODA need to work harder to keep downtown, and identify businesses that need help expanding.
“Our downtown is resilient,” said Todd Cutts, executive director of the Alliance. “But we’ve lost some incredible businesses over the past two years. As we move into recovery, we want to be strategic about making the best use of vacant space.”
Cutts said although small businesses downtown had to adjust during the pandemic, the situation is not as dire as some might think. Over the past couple of years, downtown still showed growth, he said.
In 2020, 11 businesses opened downtown and 19 closed, but the following year 31 businesses opened and 15 closed for a net gain of 16 new businesses, Cutts said.
Still, downtown vacancies create an urgency to do more, he said.
Dancing Goats Coffee, previously known as Batdorf & Bronson, exited its space on Capitol Way for a smaller location at the corner of Legion Way and Capitol Way. Old Town Bicycle moved from its Capitol Way location to west Olympia. Neither vacancy has been filled.
The survey is open through June 8 and can be accessed through the Olympia Downtown Alliance website.
This story was originally published May 26, 2022 at 5:45 AM.
