Specialty Retailers Keep Brentwood Dollars Local
Only 14 Chocolate Soup children's clothing stores exist in the United States. One of them is in Brentwood. There is only one REI recreational outfitters store in Tennessee. It‚ too‚ is in Brentwood.
It's no accident that suburban Brentwood has more than its share of unique stores and upscale chains. Attracting and retaining specialty retailers is the primary focus of the Retail Committee‚ formed by the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce two years ago.
“We wanted to get retailers talking to retailers about ways the Chamber can help them‚” says Paula Cannon‚ manager of the Brentwood REI and chair of the committee. “We want to develop programs that can inspire better service‚ better selling and better customer retention.”
The committee has had to forge its own blueprint for action in many cases‚ since there are few organizations in existence devoted exclusively to retailers.
“It’s one thing for a Chamber of Commerce to address corporate concerns‚ but that is quite different from looking out for the small retailer – the mom-and-pop shop‚” Cannon says.
One of the committee’s goals is to draw more customers into Brentwood stores by promoting a greater awareness of the unique collection of goods and services available. Another is to develop programs that benefit a broad swath of Brentwood retailers‚ from the “big box” business to the small retailer or restaurant.
“The types of things we offer to members include motivational information‚ presentations on different selling techniques and new ways to develop a core customer‚” Cannon says. “We also encourage a lot of events – grass-roots advertising. For example‚ our store sponsors things like kids’ bike safety rodeos and in-store educational clinics such as basic map reading.”
Ken McDaniel‚ corporate sales representative for Brentwood’s Borders Books and a member of the Chamber’s Retail Committee‚ believes it’s important to expand the local consumer market‚ as well as bring in shoppers from other communities.
“One of our responsibilities is to educate people about the importance of retail establishments in Brentwood for generating tax revenues‚” McDaniel says. “Encouraging Brentwood people to shop in Brentwood is important.”
Like REI‚ Borders uses special events to widen its customer base.
“We have special musical programs‚ chess and reading clubs‚ and song-writers nights‚” McDaniel says. “We also work very closely with area schools and businesses.”
The committee is aiming to make Brentwood a destination for shoppers from outside the city‚ even from surrounding counties.
“We’re serious about promoting Brentwood as more than just a bedroom community‚” says committee member Greg Meisch. “There’s no reason Brentwood can’t continue to have more unique destination stores. The community is ripe for it‚ and the money is here. We just need to awaken the whole Nashville area to the fact that there is so much out here.”
Meisch is a partner with Elizabeth Kinsey at Elizabeth Gregory Jewelers. The store is located on Ward Circle in Maryland Farms.
“We’ve brought several unique‚ nationally known designers into the area‚ including Christian Bauer from Germany and William Levine from Chicago‚” he says. “We draw customers in from Virginia‚ Kentucky and other areas‚ as well as from Nashville.”
Another merchant who appreciates the committee’s work is Beverly Mainland of Chocolate Soup‚ located on Franklin Road.
“They’ve made a big effort to respond to retailers’ concerns with programs like Business Watch‚” she says. Business Watch is a Chamber program that notifies participating retail members of specific information‚ such as the need to be on alert for a shoplifter that may be in the area or to be on the watch for an individual passing bad checks.
“They also sponsor promotions to help bring in customers‚ like a drawing for a $500 shopping spree in any Chamber member’s store‚” Mainland says. “We’ve had shoppers from Clarksville‚ Jackson and even Kentucky entering it.”
