Firm under contract with city to promote Albert Lea

 

There are five retailers “very interested in Albert Lea,” according to Albert Lea City Manager Chad Adams.

The interest comes after the city signed a $40,000 contract with Retail Strategies LLC earlier this year to promote the community and its retail opportunities.

In its first six months, the firm has engaged 22 retailers. Nine have provided substantive feedback, according to the city of Albert Lea.

The names of the retailers have not been released.

Of the 22 retailers, Adams said the combination of regional and national companies are “a little bit of everything. It’s restaurants, it’s clothing, it’s furniture.” He said a fitness club and technology and sport companies have expressed interest.

He noted one “very aggressive retailer” has been unable to find a location in Albert Lea.

“That’s not something you can say you can control,” Adams said, noting the city is relaying information where businesses can locate.

He said the city was not expecting Retail Strategies to have engaged with nearly two-dozen retailers already.

Adams noted the city is passing on retailer requests from Albert Lea residents to Retail Strategies and hopes for feedback on the potential for landing the businesses.

“That’s in addition to some of these 22 as well,” Adams said. “With 22 as kind of the initial snapshot of what they were able to reach out to and provide initial connections and have actual conversations about Albert Lea on … a national retail trade conference.”

He noted it could take 18 to 24 months for some retailers to open a store in Albert Lea, but added he is impressed there is a business that is being more aggressive and seeks to be in the community as soon as possible.

According to a city of Albert Lea Facebook post Monday, “the feedback provided is critical, even if it is to learn why a retailer may not come to Albert Lea.”

“Sometimes it’s not a fit because of a population size or a retailer may decide to dip its toe in the water elsewhere in Minnesota first,” the city stated. “Qualitative data is always helpful.”

Retail Strategies created a website for site selectors and entrepreneurs that includes information on the city’s demographics, contact information, focus categories — restaurants, general merchandise, home furnishings and clothing and apparel — and other information.

“The demographics, the metrics work well with their growth needs and where they want to be in terms of their market,” Adams said. “We’re a good spot, good population, other demographics that they look at, so, with those, I think there’s conversations going on between the Retail Strategies consultant on timing, what type of building, location that they want to be in.”

Assistant City Manager Jerry Gabrielatos said it is important the city help draw businesses to Albert Lea. 

“It’s critical that the city demonstrate that we want business to come to Albert Lea, and the partnership with Retail Strategies is one measure that we’re taking to recruit,” he said.

Adams expects the next six to 18 months to be “critical” to the city getting physical deliverables — retailers — into the community.

He noted the strategy to draw in retailers is “more of a community-wide approach,” including responding to community members’ desires and needs for more retailers.

“We’re willing to partner as best we can and provide information,” he said. “Might not be able to provide a lot of assistance, tax subsidies or anything for retail, but if it’s a massive project like Blazing Star Landing or Northbridge Mall where it’s much bigger than just one business, we might be able to do some things.”

Information on major Albert Lea corridors — Main Street, Broadway Avenue, downtown Albert Lea and Bridge Avenue — has been provided. Adams noted “a lot” of national chains want to be in primary areas.

Adams said the city will continue to hold Retail Strategies “to a pretty aggressive approach in continuing to provide us with feedback.”