Columbus, OH – The Franklin County Board of Commissioners, along with the Columbus Chamber, will hold the annual Franklin County Retail Summit Wednesday, June 12 at The Shops at Worthington Place. The breakfast event, which runs from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., will feature insight from industry experts and the reveal of the 2013 Franklin County Retail Report.
“Retailers are the backbone of our economy,” said John O’Grady, President, Franklin County Board of Commissioners. “Franklin County is now the fastest growing county in Ohio and, as our region continues to improve at attracting and retaining the younger consumer demographic that has shown higher than average spending potential, it’s no longer enough to simply get consumers in the door - retailers now need unique tools to maximize a consumer’s in-store experience.
“ In addition to having the opportunity to connect with other retailers, attendees can expect to:
- Gain insights on the new Retail Incubator Supporting Entrepreneurs (RISE) program from Franklin County Board of Commissioners President John O’Grady, Marilyn Brown and Paula Brooks
- Be inspired by in-store marketing technology innovations and breakthrough consumer experiences from Matthew Santone, art director, ResourceLAB at Resource
- Discover how Robert Mason Grimmitt, founder/CEO of Robert Mason Co., is generating interest and building brand recognition using a pop-up shop during the development of a new store concept in Columbus
- Learn how to motivate consumers with store design trends from Chute Gerdeman’s Vice President of Brand & Consumer Strategy Mindi Trank and Vice President of Visual Strategy Bess Liscio
- Hear about the successful transformation of The Shops at Worthington Place from Tom Carter, president of Real Estate Development Advisors, LLC and Evergreen Strategic Ventures, LLC
- Review the 2013 Franklin County Retail Report with Columbus Chamber Research Director Jung Kim, encompassing everything from employment and tax statistics to the fastest growing retail hubs in the Columbus Region.
“The retail industry is a key driver of the Columbus Region’s economy, and its success tends to correlate with the overall economic development health of Central Ohio,” said Michael Dalby, president and CEO, Columbus Chamber. “This annual event gives retailers and other business leaders a snapshot of the industry’s progress, and showcases some real-life case studies to inspire their own marketing and expansion efforts.” The Franklin County Retail Summit is free to attend, but
registration is required and seating is limited.
The Franklin County Retail Summit is presented by the Franklin County Board of Commissioners and the Columbus Chamber with support from The Shops at Worthington Place, Morgan Services, White Castle, Bartha Audio Visual and Stenger Creative.
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About the Franklin County Board of Commissioners
The Franklin County Board of Commissioners has established the Economic Development and Planning Department to promote organized growth supported by the principles of environmental responsibility, progressive land use, planning, social equity and economic vitality. For more information on business development assistance in Franklin County please contact: the Department of Economic Development and Planning 150 South Front Street, FSL Suite 10, Columbus, Ohio, visit Development.FranklinCountyOhio.gov, call (614) 525.5631 or email
[email protected].
About the Columbus Chamber
The Columbus Chamber provides connections, resources and solutions to help businesses thrive. Founded nearly 130 years ago, the Columbus Chamber has evolved to become the largest business services organization and primary advocate for the Columbus Region business community. Leveraging a customized, consultative approach to support members that range from small businesses to Fortune 500 enterprises, the Columbus Chamber is helping to grow the Columbus Region economy one business at a time. For more information, visit
https://columbus.org/.