[OMS_MANAGERS] VCB Welcome Center-retail competition with private sector

[Charlie Mitchell, CEcD]

Chuck,

 

Who owns the space they're in? If it's the City and the City is sympathetic
to the issue you've raised, there could be some language placed in the lease
that dictates the type of product that can be sold and/or the square footage
dedicated to retail.

 

Either way, the only issue at hand is if the VCB's welcome center is
receiving some subsidy to be successful that is not available to the average
private sector retailer. If there is a subsidy, perhaps that needs to be
gradually scaled back to allow the Welcome Center to compete and survive as
a private sector retailer would.

 

On the other hand, unless the Welcome Center's array of offerings has gotten
way out of hand, it should still represent a fairly niche market. When I was
in downtown Philadelphia last fall and I wanted some souvenirs, I went to
the "official" downtown welcome center store/ gift shop. I do the same when
I'm in most cities, actually.

 

The market should take care of itself, unless someone is unfairly competing
with a subsidy.

 

 

Charlie Mitchell, CEcD

Community & Economic Development Director

City of La Grande

PO Box 670

1000 Adams Ave.

La Grande, OR  97850

541-962-1307

 <mailto:cmitchell at cityoflagrande.org> cmitchell at cityoflagrande.org

 <http://www.cityoflagrande.org> www.cityoflagrande.org

 

From: OMS_MANAGERS [mailto:oms_managers-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us]
On Behalf Of Chuck Arnold
Sent: Friday, January 17, 2014 10:16 AM
To: 'Oregon Main Street program managers'
Subject: [OMS_MANAGERS] VCB Welcome Center-retail competition with private
sector

 

Our VCB has been tremendously successful. We take a lot of pride and benefit
from their success as I do personally as a member of their Board. 

 

The VCB has a welcome center in our downtown.
(http://www.visitbend.com/About-Us/Welcome-Center/) In the last 4 years, the
welcome center has really ramped up their retail sales expanding their
offerings beyond t-shirts and pencils. They now have a dedicated retail area
of a few hundred square feet that sees beyond $100,000/year in sales.

 

While I am encouraged by the success, the welcome center is a nonprofit that
now competes heavily with several of our retailers. There is overlap of
product and though it's only speculative, it would seem that it is affecting
the market share of private sector business sales.

 

Has anyone run into this issue? Any advice?

 

Chuck Arnold

Downtown Bend Business Association

A nonprofit working to keep Downtown Bend vibrant

 <http://www.DowntownBend.org> www.DowntownBend.org

 <https://www.facebook.com/downtownbend>
https://www.facebook.com/downtownbend

(541) 788-3628

 

Upcoming Events:

February 7-First Friday Art Walk

 

 

 

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