Looking To Recruit New Businesses To The Friendly City

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- It’s no secret that retail recruitment has been a big issue in Columbus.

In September the city hired the firm “Retail Coach” to help attract new businesses to the area.

During Tuesday’s city council meeting, the firm gave city leaders an update on its recruitment efforts.

The firm conducted a study that showed nearly 200,000 people shopped in Columbus within the past 12 months.

The city has watched several businesses such as K-Mart and JCPenney close its doors and leave town.

However, members with the firm said they’ve heard back from several businesses who are now looking to potentially move into those vacant spots.

“We’re looking at some of the larger buildings that have been vacated,” said Caroline Hearnsberger, project director and project specialist with Retail Coach. “We’re looking at whether or not a retailer is going to come in and fill the whole space or if we’re going to split it and do two retailers. We’ve gotten one that may be interested in a split, so we’re looking at who might be a good fit to go in with them, maybe in the K-Mart building or the Office Depot building, or the JCPenney building. We’ve also got a couple of retailers that would take up the entire space that are looking, so it’s like puzzle pieces, making all the puzzle pieces fall into place.”

The firm has meetings and site visits set up with the companies who are showing interest, in hopes of luring them to the Friendly City