Success Stories In Retail Recruitment



Selma uses Buxton Study to Confirm Retail Attractiveness

Selma, Calif., has a lot going for it in terms of retail development.

It is located in central California, one of the last remaining affordable areas of the state, and one that is experiencing rapid population growth.

Selma has another “plus” going for it in terms of retail: It sits at the crossroads of State Routes 99 and 43, which makes it a regional hub for southeast Fresno County as well as neighboring Tulare and Kings Counties.

When Selma city leaders contacted Buxton to perform a CommunityID assessment, they knew that their numbers were good, but they needed definite proof in the form of a formal study of their trade area. The study confirmed that people from outlying areas, including Fresno, were coming to Selma to shop.

“The Buxton study did a couple of important things for us,” says D.B. Heusser, City Manager, City of Selma. “It verified what we had been telling developers and retailers and it identified a number of businesses that fit our demograph-ics and psychographics.”

Selma city leaders have used the Buxton analysis to help recruit retailers to these projects. Their successes so far include Target and Big 5 Sporting Goods. In the case of the Big 5, city leaders were already talking to this retailer before the Buxton study. “We had worked with Big 5 for a year, but when they saw the Buxton study, they were convinced,” Heusser says.

The future looks bright for Selma. Several other major retailers are showing interest and may sign letters of intent soon.

View All Case Studies