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News: Updated February 2012

 

The New Normal for Downtowns. It has become readily apparent to us that most downtowns across the nation are facing a "new normal" in which consumer behavior, retailing, office use and development, participation in entertainment activities, housing, parking and mass transportation use have changed significantly. It also has become apparent to us that DANTH has a unique expertise on this new normal for downtowns. We plan to have that expertise inform our future projects and be a major thrust of our future marketing efforts.

Multichannel Retailing. Based on our downtown trends analyses and our recent projects in Morristown, NJ and Long Island City, NY, DANTH has expended a lot of time and effort to develop a comprehensive approach to downtown multichannel retailing. This approach includes a lot more than admonishments to merchants to get on the web and use the social media. David Milder has written a Research Paper on it that is available elsewhere on this website at  http://danth.com/storage/pdf/Multichannel.pdf   

A Reassessment of Our Own Use of the Internet and Social Media. As a consequence of our work on multichannel retailing we decided to reassess our own e-commerce activities and hired Ben Burgess of the North Star Group to guide us through the process. This website has had significant changes recently, with the integration of The Downtown Curmudgeon blog being the most significant so far. More is yet to come.
DANTH or David Milder is now on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. We are learning a lot.
 
Potential for Growing a Restaurant Niche. We have completed an assessment of the growth potential of the restaurant niche in the Queens Plaza commercial core for the Long Island City Business Development Corporation (LICBDC). This turned into a much more complex and interesting project than we expected because of the sizeable new office worker, residential and hotel guest markets that had to be researched and because the most important trade areas are very close-in, defined by walking distances, not drive times or mass transit travel times. This report is available at:  http://licpartnership.org/economic%20development/queens-plaza-will-support-reta
 
A Powerful Neighborhood Shopping District in The Bronx Based on Backdoor Retailing, Day Tourists, Powerful Institutions and a Strong Brand. The area on and near Arthur Avenue in the Belmont neighborhood of The Bronx is that borough’s “Little Italy” and one of the few remaining in the region. Despite a nearby population of modest means, strong parking problems, no mass transit within easy walking distance and a declining Italian population, this commercial center has robust Italian restaurant and Italian specialty food niches. It also has attracted many firms in the healthcare, wholesale and construction industries.

DANTH completed two major assignments for the Belmont BID in which we detailed the strengths and economic impacts of local merchants who are able to both sell to businesses located outside of Belmont and to attract consumers who live relatively far away. Key to their ability to do both is the district’s image as a genuine and safe “Little Italy.” The presence of Fordham University, St. Barnabas Hospital and The Bronx Zoo and Botanical Gardens on the district’s periphery are other assets that merchants benefit from.

A Community Business Investment Fund.   In June 2011 DANTH started work on a business plan for a Morristown Community Business Investment Fund. DANTH is working closely with the staff of the Morristown Partnership on this project. The objective is to create a viable roadmap for attracting local private sector investors to participate in a fund aimed at helping small businesses, especially retailers, get the financing that increasingly is difficult for them find. This project will entail many interviews with potential investors to identify their level of interest and terms for participation. This project is scheduled for completion in late 2012.

David Milder’s Future Publications

David has just published "THE EMERGENCE OF DOWNTOWN MULTICHANNEL RETAILING: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES", a DANTH Research Paper, which is now availble for downloading from this website.

David is currently working on the following manuscripts:

  -- “The New Normal For Downtown Revitalization;” an e-book scheduled for August 2012 completion

-- “Some Ways to Stimulate Small Business Innovation;” an article scheduled for July 15, 2012 completion

"Downtown Business Recruitment" Is Now Available in the iBook Bookstore and online from Barnes & Noble

David Milder's popular book is now available for purchase in a format compatable with your iPhone, iTouch or iPad.

Visit http://itunes.apple.com/us/book/downtown-business-recruitment/id444303202?mt=11

It is also availbe for your Nook at: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/downtown-business-recruitment-david-milder/1007696142?ean=9781257239351&itm=1&usri=downtown+business+recuitment

Of course, you can still dowload a free copy of this book in a pdf format from this website.