Living la vida local

Businesses are an ever-changing facet of local communities.

Suzan Doidge, president of the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce, described the image of Mountain Brook as being built on “small-town retailers,” who might have previously owned local businesses as a hobby.

“Many years ago, there were a lot of businesses that were unique at the time and different than you would see in different areas,” she said. “That small-town retailer … that image, I think, has changed in every community.” 

Now many communities, including Mountain Brook, have a blend of independently owned stores and franchises within their city limits.

‘A healthy mix’

Doidge was referring to the growth and shift of businesses in the community, from having mainly independent stores to including a selection of franchises and chains. Currently, there are 259 brick and mortar stores in Mountain Brook, and of those, 36 are registered as franchises. 

“Fortunately, Mountain Brook still has a good deal of local retailers,” said Ricky Bromberg of Bromberg’s. He said the local, independent retailers help give the community it’s “local flavor,” but the chain stores and restaurants serve a positive role, too.

“It gives a certain amount of foot traffic, and visitors enter our area that might not have come otherwise,” he said. “That leads the opportunity to have new customers and new people in our stores.”

By having a larger selection of restaurants and businesses, be them franchises or independent storefronts, Doidge and Bromberg agreed that those retailers may bring in non-Mountain Brook residents who otherwise wouldn’t venture out to shop there. Both the Grand Bohemian and the new Lane Parke shopping center, which includes franchised restaurants, contribute to bringing in shoppers who don’t live in Mountain Brook, too.

“I think we have a healthy mix of franchises and family-owned businesses,” Doidge said. While she said she believes the community was founded on the small business owner with family in Mountain Brook, she finds the two working together to compliment one another.

“Historically, there have not been, in the retail segment, that many chain-type stores. So, you know, that’s going to be new to see how they’re going to interact,” Bromberg agreed, adding that often the shops work together “for the common good” of business and the community.

Will Haver, owner of Otey’s and founder of Taco Mama, said that the addition of new businesses can create a competitive atmosphere for store owners.

“If you’ve got passion behind your business … that comes out in your work and people can feel that and people want to support that,” he said. And, franchises within the community may be owned by Mountain Brook families, too.

Bromberg’s jewelry store is open in both Mountain Brook Village and at The Summit, and Haver’s Taco Mama began in Crestline and has since expanded to Edgewood and The Summit, as well. 

“Wherever we are, we try to support where our two feet are,” Haver said. This reflects back on a key part of any business: service.

‘Back to service’

Regardless of whether or not a business is independently owned or a franchise of another store or restaurant, Doidge, Bromberg and Haver all said that customer relationships are integral to success. 

“I think Mountain Brook has done a really good job at hanging on to their customer base and … unique relationships,” Doidge said. By hosting different events, such as trunk shows and customer appreciation nights, retailers are able to strengthen relationships with existing customers and attract new faces to their store.

Haver said that the local economy resembles a “resurgence of downtowns” that is being see across the country, and something that is making its way through downtown Birmingham and other over-the-mountain communities. 

“I think people are going back to service. Service had kinda lost its way for a bit,” he said. “And I think when it goes small like that, it gives opportunity to the small business people.” But because there are so many options, regardless of whether or not the business is independently owned or a franchise, employees and owners must have good service and products to attract and retain customers.

The customer’s support goes back into Mountain Brook, too. 

“For every dollar you spend in Mountain Brook, 64 cents stays in the local economy,” Doidge said, regardless of whether or not the shops or restaurants are independently owned. 

Haver added that because many of the stores in Mountain Brook are locally owned, those families understand the power of keeping their dollars local since the taxes contribute to city services.

Of the taxes that are charged on a transaction within city limits, 4 percent is from the state, 2 percent is from the county and 3 percent is from Mountain Brook, according to the city website. Doidge said this goes back to support functions such as fire, police, trash pickup and the Emmet O’Neal Library, among other things.

To keep a balance between businesses, Doidge said the city looks at each potential tenant. With a land-locked community, two percent of which is for commercial use, it’s possible to have a greater concentration of similar businesses.

“I think so far, the city has taken a really great approach at it,” Haver said. “I’ve never been one for change, but you do have to grow over time and you do have to expand, and I think a healthy mix [of businesses] is always good.”

Aside from potential competition between stores, neither Bromberg nor Haver see chain stores as a threat to Mountain Brook shops.

“I think,” Doidge said, “from where I’m sitting, the internet is a bigger threat than a franchise.”

‘Think twice before you click twice’

As countless websites introduce the possibility of shopping from the comfort of your couch, Haver and Bromberg said some businesses have been adjusting accordingly. 

“There’s no denying it,” Bromberg said. “It [internet shopping] is here and there is … a new form of competition that is here to stay.”

Doidge added that the chamber works with Village Gold, which is a gift certificate that can be used at different Mountain Brook stores. It’s described as a “partnership” between the customers and the city as a way to encourage shopping local. It’s also part of the “Live Local” and “Think twice before you click twice” campaign, Doidge said.

But what the internet does offer to shoppers is, essentially, convenience. Instead of driving to the store and spending time shopping around, customers can browse inventory from their own home. In the end, this convenience comes at the cost of decreased local revenue and money spent in Mountain Brook shops.

“I’m not a huge technology person, but even people like me are getting on board with the ease of buying things off the internet,” Haver said. He sees the feature increasing even more into the future.

“Sure, there’s a threat there [with the internet]. But it’s how you want to address the threat,” he said. “I think you’ve got to embrace the internet side of your business.” But in the future, businesses mostly likely are going to evolve to fit their communities — much like they already have.

“There will definitely be changes, but I think you still will see small businesses and you still will see franchise businesses,” Haver said. “But I think people will keep supporting their local businesses.”