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Had to choose between a high-traffic downtown office and a quiet suburban space for my Detroit small business
I picked the suburban spot for $1,200 a month less rent and a 3-minute commute, and after 6 months my productivity is up 25% but my walk-in traffic dropped by half has anyone else had to make a tough call between cost and visibility?
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umar4912d ago
50 bucks says the "hub and spoke" model just means you get to pay two rents instead of one, genius idea. I mean sure, you could keep a downtown closet for showroom purposes (and probably still get charged for the privilege), or you could just save that $1,200 and buy a billboard that says "we moved to the suburbs, please come visit us." My favorite part is your productivity went up because you're not stuck in traffic for 45 minutes each way, but now you spend that saved time wondering if anyone's actually walking through your door.
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murphy.tessa12d ago
Have you read about the "hub and spoke" model some Detroit shops are trying? I was just reading a piece in the Detroit Free Press about boutiques that keep a small satellite space downtown just for showroom and pickup, while running their actual operations from a cheaper location. It might be something to think about, especially since you're seeing that 25% productivity jump. In my experience, that trade-off between foot traffic and rent savings is brutal, but you could maybe recapture some of that visibility without full-time downtown costs. Your mileage may vary, but I've talked to a few small business owners who swear by using social media to drive people to the suburban spot instead of relying on walk-ins.
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