Like most folks, we love lists, rankings, surveys and all that jazz. One we read this week ranked Charlotte among the best places to live, particularly for folks with families. The Apartment Link report measured housing costs, graduation rates, and other metrics that would matter most for families. It’s not rocket science, but it made for good reading.
Charlotte’s proximity to the mountains and the beach, its climate and cost of living are attractive features, drawing tens of thousands of new people to town each year. It’s no longer big bank jobs, but the creative sort that are luring more younger people to town. That’s kind of a big deal.
“Charlotte is the second fastest growing city in the country,” Charlotte City Council member Kenny Smith told us. “Fifty-one percent of our newcomers are 18-34 and many of them have college degrees … in short, the Queen City is attracting people who are young and smart. It must be our breweries.”
Maybe it is the beer, but it also made us wonder. As one of the faster-growing metros in the country, is a “big” city like Charlotte a good environment for small business? That’s our bread and butter, as it were, here at well-run media + marketing, so we decided we’d follow up with our own unofficial report and ask the folks in the know: real small business owners!
Client and friend Bill Bartee owns Jesse Brown’s, Charlotte’s oldest adventure and travel outfitter. He says Charlotte’s access to active, outdoor stuff make it an easy recruiting tool for employers, an easy “yes” for employees, and the post-recession economy here is prime for small business success.
“Charlotte’s can-do spirit seems to reflect in its small business,” Bill told us. “Charlotteans support them and that helps build, attract and maintain our business as well as that of our other small business peers.”
Smith also gives credit to Queen City newcomers for flipping Charlotte’s former “banking center” economy to one that is more vibrant and diverse, thanks in part to small business owners and their clients.
Jennifer Kennedy owns Kixx Cool Shoes for Kids. She says folks who shop small business want more than just a transaction. “We have savvy shoppers who expect the best and we’re here to meet their expectations. In return we have earned a loyal following!”
To Jennifer’s point, Norm didn’t go to Cheers every night just because they served beer. Or to get away from Vera. He was a loyal customer because of the relationship he had with the Sam, Woody, Cliff and the rest of them. OK, maybe it is the beer that gets them in the door, but small business owners who know their customers want – and expect more – will be the ones who’ll be able to keep the taps open.