The Downtown Spokane Partnership (DSP) recently joined with five community partners to offer a sophisticated household-level database that can support efforts around retail recruitment and business development for the downtown and the greater Spokane area. Buxton Co., based in Dallas, Texas, gathers data from millions of customer transactions from around the country to determine the purchasing habits and lifestyle trends for identified geographic areas.
“It really is a smart city, or information-based, approach to economic and urban development,” says DSP President, Mark Richard. “We are constantly looking for ways to help our existing businesses grow and support bringing new businesses into the downtown.”
Buxton is the most comprehensive data collection software in the country focused on consumer spending habits. The software can also support other areas of economic development including; tourism spending, product research for inventory development, and market research of potential recreational uses and medical services.
Community partners include the City of Spokane Planning and Parks Departments, the Spokane Public Library, Visit Spokane, and Centennial Realty. In partnership with Buxton and the DSP, the Spokane Public Library plans to provide public trainings for small businesses looking to use the software for expansion and for start-ups needing access to data-rich, high-quality market information. Buxton will be available to users at the downtown library’s business support center, Level Up. By partnering to provide Buxton software, small businesses in downtown will make use of market data and information previously too expensive to be accessible on an individual bases.
“We are excited to bring this powerful tool to Spokane and look forward to seeing it used in a variety of ways by a variety of users. Boosting the strength of our business community will assist in filling empty storefronts throughout the downtown and the Spokane area, build a stronger economy,” says Richard.
About Downtown Spokane
The DSP is a private, non-profit membership organization that serves as Spokane’s central city advocate and service provider, dedicated to enhancing the quality and vitality of Downtown Spokane as the basis for a healthy region. The DSP accomplishes its mission through advocating for public policies, business and project development, quality planning, physical improvement projects, public safety, beautification, and marketing programs that ensure downtown’s continued success. To learn more, visit www.downtownspokane.org.
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