Civic Economics is the acclaimed leader in understanding the economics of regional retail and service activities.

From its founding, the firm has focused on the critical and often misunderstood role of retail in economic development and urban planning policy.

Commissions for independent research have provided the core knowledge base for what has come to be called “The Civic Economics of Retail.”  In contrast to our larger, convention-bound peers and academic researchers, Civic Economics has developed innovative methodologies for analyzing this unique industry sector.

Civic Economics analyzes the economics of retail and service provision using time-tested, industry standard approaches tailored to the needs and circumstances of each community.  These include trade area analysis, demographic analysis, consumer and business surveys, retail prospect identification, retail gap analysis, adaptive reuse of mature retail centers, and economic and fiscal impact analysis.

More importantly, the partners of Civic Economics monitor the ever-evolving retail industry. We know where market forces are heading and what retailers are doing in response. We know, too, what other communities are doing, providing us with an unmatched knowledge of best and worst practices.

Retail development and redevelopment bring significant impacts to any community. Civic Economics provides communities with the tools to manage those impacts, magnifying the benefits and mitigating the challenges.

Civic Economics may be best known for groundbreaking and comprehensive studies like the Andersonville Study of Retail Economics and the San Francisco Retail Diversity Study, but our work in retail is much broader than you may realize.

As communities around the nation have begun mandating independent economic impact analyses for large retail developments, Civic Economics has led the way, completing the very first such study in the nation for the town of Homer, Alaska.

In addition, the analytical tools at our disposal have allowed us to study a number of related issues. Some of these have included:

• The impact of a local minimum wage increase in California
• The comparative benefits of competing Iowa casino proposals
• The economic output associated with a Louisiana distribution center
• The impact of utility rate increases on different classes of users in South Texas.

ADDITIONAL RETAIL SERVICES

In partnership with our friends at the American Booksellers Association, Civic Economics has begun offering highly focused studies of retail economics to communities for which our services were previously out of reach.  Contact us for a menu of educational and analytical offerings and let us know how me might serve your community.