You may think that what goes on inside your store is the most important factor in determining its success, but in fact customers finding parking outside your door also plays an important role. And this is a factor that you can sometimes influence, with the help of your elected officials.  You should make sure that parking management is continuously being monitored by your community.

Our area once hired a consultant to help create a neighborhood plan, and we were told that our lack of parking was a good sign — it meant that we had lots of customers. However we knew that we had residents, workers and college students taking up the free on-street spots for the whole day.  Establishing 2 hour parking limits on more side streets has helped solve this problem.  The key to managing parking is turnover. 

Parking meters also encourage turnover. No one likes to get a parking ticket, and we all grumble about having to feed a meter or find a pay box, but metered parking is a good way to maximize the parking available for those wanting to visit your shop.  Make sure that there is a mix of time limits so that those wanting to shop and dine as well as those running a quick errand can find a spot.

One additional solution is to encourage customers to use public transportation, and to bike or walk to your shop. This eases the need for parking and is also good for the environment. We participate in a program called Bicycle Benefits that rewards shoppers who arrive by bike — eliminating the need for at least one parking spot.

Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder