The Bishop business community has tried the “Shop Local” push, anti-big box store talk and now a special consultant will

kilpatrickleakage

Chuck Kilpatrick talked to business owners and community players last year about “leakage” and how to boost business.

analyze Bishop for what retailers call “leakage.” It’s all about those trips out of town for shopping.

In a press release from the Bishop Chamber of Commerce, Chuck Kilpatrick is quoted as saying that talk about what to do started in response to empty commercial properties in the Bishop area. Kilpatrick said, “We cringe when we hear residents say they are going out of town on a shopping trip.” He said Bishop needs to fill empty storefronts with viable businesses that offer products and services people need.

Tawni Thomson, Chamber manager, issued a press release to explain the analysis of what’s called “leakage”. That means dollars that go out of town. The Bishop City Council had earlier voted for what’s called a gap analysis study. This analysis could lead to change in current businesses and even the start-up of new ones.

The leakage study will actually quantify the amount of money spent out of town and on what products. Thomson said the results will go to Bishop businesses as a “tool for developing their business strategies and marketing plans.

The City hired Aaron Farmer of The Retail Coach from Texas to do the work in Bishop through a contract not to exceed $6500. Farmer is expected in Bishop any day now. He will meet with retailers and other community stakeholders as part of his analysis. The findings will go to the City Council and go public at two seminar meetings.

Thomson added that she frequently receives contacts from entrepreneurs, both local and from out of the area, interested in starting businesses.

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