Here’s How We Get There
Jennifer Owens – December 18, 2024
As an economic development leader, I often get feedback on what’s missing, or which national business could make our community better. Most of the suggestions are outside of my scope, primarily in the retail or restaurant space, but I always love hearing people’s ideas.
Lakeshore Advantage is laser focused on attracting and retaining the employers that are at the base of our economy in the region—those businesses whose growth and stability leads to attracting the commonly-referenced names I hear: Trader Joe’s, Costco, Lululemon.
Our focus are the businesses that produce goods and services for markets beyond our community. These are our region’s primary employers and they are the bedrock of a sustainable local economy. These companies bring in outside dollars, create jobs, and support a host of secondary businesses, from local service providers, professional service firms, and retail shops.
All major national retailers conduct extensive market research before choosing a new location. They go beyond population numbers; they’re examining income levels, economic stability, and growth potential. A community with strong primary employers signals economic stability, making it an attractive prospect for these retail giants.
When our primary employment base thrives, it creates a ripple effect throughout the community. Employees of these companies spend their paychecks locally, buying homes, dining out, and shopping in our stores. This steady flow of income is what creates the customer base that national retailers look for when deciding where to open new locations.
Our team’s number one goal is to make sure the 600 primary employers in Allegan and Ottawa Counties thrive. This means providing them with the resources they need to succeed. It means engaging with them regularly to understand their challenges and working together to overcome them.
Each of our primary employers’ needs are different and all have choices in which to operate their business. It takes the entire community to ensure we continue to be the top choice for primary employment growth. Even though I am not knocking on the doors of Costco headquarters, the work Lakeshore Advantage does to grow and attract a robust base of growing primary employers is generating the economic activity necessary to make these retail suggestions a reality.
Jennifer Owens is the president of Lakeshore Advantage, the leading economic development organization for West Michigan’s Ottawa and Allegan counties.