We need something to draw people to Bristol. How many of you have driven to the Outlets in Clinton?
Outlet Stores
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Posted in: Retail
Submitted by Mark Bianchi
January 22, 2011
22 January 2011
Written by Mark
14 Comments
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Sure, why not? It could work better with the demographics rather than the full stores and provide employment opportunities.
I think that this suggestion is right in line with our demographics. Some ideas seem a bit upscale for the general population. Outlets are perfect for the kind of pedestrian atmosphere we need downtown! Definitely a destination!
Just visit Freeport, ME anytime of the year and see first hand how outlets make the town thrive.
Outlets are chain stores that do not support the local economy…
Outlets may be chain stores, but they do provide employment for people in Bristol. They would also draw people from areas outside of Bristol. Once those people were here, there is a good chance that they would stay and have lunch, buy coffee or do something else that would support the local economy.
This was an idea I originally had. People drive all the way to Clinton for outlet shopping. This would be a good draw.
People love cheap clothes! Mandy’s and TJ Maxx do so well here. outlets would attract a lot of outside-bristol people too.
We need shopping in Bristol. the nearest outlets are too far away.
Wendy has it right.
Outlet store models don’t lend themselve well to a triple-bottom line downtown. Outlets would means lots of $$$’s leaving Bristol’s economy to “Wal-mart land” and China.
I would give that, and the following links a hard look.
Check out the graphs. http://bristolrising.com/page/about-bristol-rising
Or another reference if you’d like: http://www.cooltownstudios.com/2009/11/23/locals-have-4x-economic-impact-over-nationals
Also, consider that outlets are about making large amounts of non-local retail consumption efficient for them. This basically guarantees siphoning from local stores. Their build-model also means cars are targeted as the primary means of transportation because they support the most purchases per person, plus large parking lots and strip mall layouts. Def not triple bottom line.
If Bristol did attract outlets, in my opinion the best place wouldn’t be downtown, primarily because it has nothing to do with placemaking, and because it fits better in an auto-centric route 6 environment.
Plus, outlets many times are single usage, single story, inefficient land usage. Bristol has experience with single usage land failing. It was called the Centre Mall.
We need density, mixture of uses per parcel, authenticity, and vibrancy!
How about a Christmas Tree Shop? I think it would draw many people from outside of Bristol also. The nearest is either in Manchester or Danbury, and I know many people who travel to those, why not bring the $ here!
Interesting idea, but probably not the best. At best, the outlets would provide low-wage retail and bring in lots of car traffic. At worst, they’d fold at leave vacant storefronts–seriously, how often do you think locals would shop there? Once, twice a year? Outlets would have to depend on out-of-town shoppers, and that’d a hard draw. The existing malls are just struggling to get by.
I think we need outlet stores like Westbrook,Clinton and Lee Ma to bring people to Bristol. But with the new taxes and people out of work I have heard many people say they have bought their last clothes and liquor in Conn. We can take a nice ride to Lee Ma, shop for clothes and liquor, have a nice lunch and save enough on taxes to pay for your cheaper gas. Mom and Pop stores charging full price will not make it in Bristol. Look at the stores closing up in Plainville center
How about an IKEA. I’d go!!! I think an enclave of true outlet shops would be great, too. Everyone is cost conscious, what better way to save gas for sooo many ppl and have some shops easy to get to, Bristol, of course!!!
I think outlets bring ppl out of the woodwork, they would shop a lot. I think it is a good thing it would bring non-local traffic. Outlet shoppers travel far to go to them. I think the best location would be nearer to 84/72 Forestville side. It has to be close to the highway. I don’t see it would cut into local biz. An outlet center like the one in Clinton would be outrageous, I think, anyway.