A new study of Grand Haven's downtown reveals that tourism in this Great Lakes town accounts for a small percentage of annual revenues of most shops, and though there are retail "gaps," certain types of businesses are not the answer. The challenge for the Downtown Development Authority is to boost struggling businesses, and help some businesses improve service.
According to excerpts from the story:
A new study for downtown Grand Haven, released Monday, indicates shoppers are generally pleased with the look, merchandise and services at the district's stores and restaurants — but challenges remain.
The Negens' report is the second such study conducted for downtown Grand Haven in recent years. The Downtown Blueprint for Grand Haven was done in 2003 by Doyle Hyett and Delores Palma.
Downtown Grand Haven is fortunate to have built-in summer traffic, the Negens said, but the challenge for its businesses is to capitalize on the heavy customer traffic of the summer months and build a strong local clientele for the rest of the year.
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