Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 18, 1990 TAG: 9007180046
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CATHRYN McCUE NEW RIVER VALLEY BUREAU
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Medium
So say Blacksburg consumers, at least the 563 residents who responded to the recent Shopper Satisfaction Survey.
"It seemed to really confirm what we thought," said Doug Eckel, economic development coordinator for Blacksburg. The survey was the first in several years to ask shoppers what they do and don't like about Blacksburg's retail sector.
Consumers ranked the selection of shoe stores, children's clothing stores, department stores and men's and women's apparel stores at the bottom of the list.
They were most satisfied with the mix of drugstores, grocery stores, book and stationery stores and florists.
"It also confirmed in numbers, in black and white, that restaurants are primarily student-oriented and that everyone else is sort of locked out of the market," Eckel said.
Students and people with household incomes under $10,000 a year gave the current choice of restaurants in Blacksburg the highest marks.
But those in white-collar occupations or with household incomes over $50,000 gave restaurants the lowest points, and were more likely than other groups to have eaten their last restaurant meal outside Montgomery County.
In most other categories, satisfaction dropped as income and education levels rose.
Students like the mix of retail stores, as do retired shoppers. But highly educated 40- to 60-year-old shoppers are not satisfied with the selections, and again, were more likely to leave Blacksburg to go shopping.
Blue-collar consumers were likewise dissatisfied with retail stores here, mostly because of price.
One area where all respondents agreed, regardless of age, income or occupation, was the lack of downtown parking - which has long been a complaint of Blacksburg residents.
Consumers also were asked to rank their "shopping experience" in Blacksburg from very good to poor. Parking, merchandise selection and price were ranked last, while consumers were most pleased with the atmosphere and appearance of the stores, customer service and location.
In his summary, Eckel recommended that these qualities be "pushed as our competitive advantages, and a clear distinction be made between the authentic main street atmosphere of Blacksburg and the lack of atmosphere of the malls."
He also recommended that the town work to attract more upscale specialty stores, particularly shoe, apparel, electronics and furniture stores and restaurants.
Blue-collar consumers would be difficult to reach because of the number of discount department stores in surrounding localities, Eckel said.
So the town should focus on capturing white-collar consumers, who are a much larger and wealthier group than any other in Blacksburg.
"The obvious question is: Is that group large enough to support new stores?" Eckel said in an interview. `'And I think that so far the answer has been no."
Still, he plans to send the town's economic development packet, including the survey, to those type of stores, and is confident the information will entice some retailers.
"The low satsifaction ratings with existing stores should be useful in making the case that a market does exist for this type of merchandise."
He cited a nationwide survey recently done by a retail trade magazine, which found that 45- to 54-year-old professionals with household incomes over $50,000 spend well above the average in shopping centers.
The Blacksburg Office of Economic Development sent the consumer surveys to all residents in the April issue of the town's newsletter, About Town. Demographics of the 563 surveys, 4 percent of those sent out, are as follows:
352 have lived here more than five years; 103 for less than two.
273 were between the ages of 20 and 40; 206 were between 41 and 60.
283 were in white-collar jobs; 74 were students; 53 were retired; and 39 were blue collar.
243 had a postgraduate degree; 19 had less than a college degree.
223 had household incomes of more than $50,000; 37 had household incomes less than $10,000.
Results are available at the office in the Municipal Building on South Main Street by calling Eckel at 961-1812.
by CNB