In 2010, the population of Nolensville, Tennessee, was 2,450. Based upon projected community demographics, it is expected that the approximate population will increase to over 10,000 in the next few years. Clearly this gem of Middle Tennessee is experiencing unprecedented growth and Town officials agree its retail base has not caught up with this population explosion.
To help remedy the situation, the Town of Nolensville has hired The Retail Coach, a retail recruitment consulting firm. Working with over 400 client communities in 29 states and an 88% repeat client rate, The Retail Coach is unparalleled in industry experience offering funnels SEO marketing research and analysis to communities and proactive recruitment of retailers, restaurants, and developers.
“Ultimately, for myself, the reason for choosing The Retail Coach is that after meeting with multiple options to help us implement retail opportunities, we felt like TRC was the one group that ‘got it.’ What I mean by that is they referenced having ‘boots on the ground’ meeting local businesses, key stakeholders, residents, etc. to get an idea of what was desired in our community. It did not feel like a carbon copy of any previous project. Our other options provided us a formula and that was the only option. It reminded me a lot of the old thought of fitting a square peg through a round hole. Sometimes one size does not fit all,” said Alderman Brian Snyder.
The Retail Coach has multiple opportunities to work with in Nolensville. According to Snyder, “Nolensville as a whole is unique. We are a small community where suburban sprawl meets rural America. Our demographic is a fine mixture of longtime residents who are farmers, land owners, and generations of locals. We also have a very large population who work in Metro Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, and other areas who were searching for small town charm and access to cool retail opportunities not found at a mall. With that mix, I firmly believe we can support a mixture of locally owned businesses, boutique store fronts, and even a small portion of regional businesses.”
Retail Study Components
The project began with a kick-off meeting with city officials in April. From there, The Retail Coach team will determine the Retail Trade Area, or the area where city businesses derive 80-85% of their business. Using this information, the team will package demographics for the Retail Trade Area and the community. They will also identify the Retail Gap Analysis, used to determine which retail categories are experiencing a leakage in Nolensville. Armed with this knowledge, The Retail Coach will make a list of priority retailers and restaurants that would benefit Nolensville and help proactively recruit them to the area, utilizing trade contacts and tailored, market based recruitment packages.
Scott Emison, Director—Retail Strategy for The Retail Coach, will spearhead the project.
“The Town of Nolensville is a hidden gem, an eclectic and unique town with great leadership and vision. With many opportunities for new development and continued growth ahead of them, we are excited to be working with Nolensville on a retail strategy to bring selective retailers and developers that share the vision for a better business environment and quality of life,” said Emison.
“These are very exciting and important times for the Town of Nolensville,” said Town Administrator Ken McLawhon.
“We are particularly happy about the economic development climate that is being created and the possibility of citizens to live, play, and work here as well,” said Nolensville Mayor Jimmy Alexander.