Spending in Celina, Celina Record

Celina EDC director urges residents to spend dollars closer to home Lisa Ferguson, lferguson@starlocalmedia.com Apr 1, 2016 Stopped by the new Kroger Marketplace in Prosper? Maybe you purchased a few items while checking out the 120,000-square-foot store that is the town’s first full-service supermarket. That wouldn’t surprise Corbett Howard one bit. “We get it: You’re gonna go in and enjoy some of the newness and see the Marketplace. That’s fine,” the longtime executive director of the Celina Economic Development Corp. said last week. “Just don’t forget where you live.” Amid the excitement that surrounded the highly anticipated store during its construction last year and since its grand opening March 24, Howard has been working to impress upon Celina residents the importance of spending their dollars in the city they call home rather than contributing to the tax base of neighboring areas. “Each of us should step back and think about what it means to spend money for goods and services in our community,” he said. “If we just think about the benefits of shopping at home whenever possible, millions of dollars will be returned to our local community,” Howard said. “A growing economy will strengthen existing businesses and directly encourages new business moving into the community.” Celina’s annual sales tax revenue is approximately $1 million, according to Howard. Meanwhile, the city’s residents spend about $92 million each year on goods and services outside the area. By spending their money in Celina, he explained, residents will ultimately see their land and home prices increase. New local schools will be built. Also, “Sales tax dollars produce funds that go into building more parks” which can improve the city’s quality of life, he said. “People need to know that.” Howard knows that Celina is lacking many of the stores and restaurants residents want and need. However, that likely won’t be the case for much longer. In his role with the EDC, Howard spends most days contacting representatives of many of the world’s largest retail and restaurant companies and attempts to sell them on the idea of setting up shop in Celina. He points to the big names that have already opened outlets in the city including McDonald’s, Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, Domino’s Pizza, Taco Bell and Subway. “How did we get those? It wasn’t by accident,” he said, describing Celina’s business-friendly atmosphere. “We’re very customer-service focused at City Hall. If you come in as a retailer, we’re going to treat you very well. We’re going to be very responsive.” It also helps, he said, that the city’s location and demographics are in many cases precisely those that many large retailers are looking to capture. Celina’s main “trade area” is at Preston Road and Sunset Boulevard, he said, and falls within the standard 10- to 15-minute commute time of potential customers that many companies use to help determine where to open locations. Before speaking with retailers and restaurant chain representatives, Howard arms himself with binders full of facts and figures provided by Fort Worth-based Buxton Company, which compiles demographic and other analytic data related to business growth strategies, among other topics. According to information provided by Buxton, he said, Celina is a perfect fit for such retailers as The Home Depot, GNC and Walgreens, as well as restaurants including Dunkin’ Donuts, Whataburger and Ruby Tuesday, among a dozen others. And the list keeps growing. In March, Tractor Supply Company received approval from the Celina City Council to build a store on Business 289 near West Ash Street. Howard said the company “looked a long time to grow with this demographic and they know that [Celina is] a perfect match to go with their stores.” Last week at his office on Celina’s downtown square, Howard circled more than a dozen areas on a large map of the city that the EDC created for use as a marketing and development tool. The circles, he explained, designated where retail development is planned in Celina. Although he declined to name them specifically, Howard said there are deals in the works to bring nationally recognized retailers and restaurants to the city in coming years. He said he is confident that in the future Celina will be home to several large grocers such as Whole Foods, Market Street, Sprouts and Trader Joe’s. It may also eventually house a “double-deck Sam’s (Club)/Wal-Mart” store “because I know we have the exact location for them,” he said, although he did not identify where that is. At the very least, Howard said, Celina will one day boast three Wal-Mart stores, as well as several hotels and a pair of shopping areas that will rival Frisco’s Stonebriar Centre and The Shops at Legacy in Plano. Also, look for more dining options to start appearing on the local landscape in the next few years. “We’ve had our small victories,” he said. “In 2005, we didn’t have Brookshire’s,” the 45,000-square-foot supermarket on East Sunset Boulevard. “We had nothing. This community said, ‘Please give us a grocery store,’ and we got a great grocery store.” By 2030, he said, the city’s population should be around 137,000. “That’s where Frisco was two years ago. Start thinking about what Frisco has. What they have today, we’ll have tomorrow.” Until then, Howard added, residents should make efforts to shop locally whenever possible. “All of [the tax money] comes into the coffers and it circulates back through the community. That’s what we want, that’s what we need, and it’s good for everybody,” he said. Also, local business owners “are our people. Those are your neighbors.” Beverly Hays is one of them. The longtime Celina resident owns Professional Best Friend, which helps families and small businesses get organized and improve efficiency practices. Hays said she feels “compelled” to patronize local businesses whenever possible. “The more money you spend and shop local … the better it is for your community because you’re keeping your tax dollars where you live. “I completely understand that people want to shop at Kroger,” she said. However, “Our tax dollars are literally going out the window.”