Carpentersville to try renegotiating deal with retail recruiter
Carpentersville trustees are skeptical of extending a contract with an external business recruiter that has yet to secure a national retailer for the village.
Alabama-based Retail Strategies was hired last January to help fill prominent buildings that have been vacant or underused for years. The village's priorities included the shuttered Dominick's on Randall Road, Huntley Square Shopping Center on Route 31, and Meadowdale Shopping Center near Route 25, Economic Development Director Patrick Burke said.
Since the deal was approved, Retail Strategies has conducted a trade area and retail gap analysis, developed a marketing brochure, represented the village at major trade shows and met with several retailers, he said. At the end of the $50,000 yearlong deal, however, the company has not pinned down any tenants for those sites.
The village has the option to extend the contract another year for $30,000 - a move recommended by the business development commission. But several trustees this week voiced concerns over spending more money on a firm that hasn't fulfilled its key objective.
"If they're not delivering, why are we paying?," Trustee John O'Sullivan said.
Trustee Diane Lawrence suggested restructuring the contract to allow Carpentersville to recapture some funds if Retail Strategies does not find a major retailer within the next year. The idea garnered support from other board members, and village staff members agreed to try negotiating a performance-based deal with the firm.
Retail Strategies representatives could not be reached Wednesday.
Though understanding of trustees' concerns, Assistant Village Manager Marc Huber said the firm has access to valuable demographic data that is not otherwise available to Carpentersville officials. The company also has established relationships with retailers that are able to provide feedback about the village, regardless of whether they choose to open shop there, he said.
That information, he added, could be beneficial during Carpentersville's rebranding initiative, which aims to create a marketing plan for improving the village's reputation.
O'Sullivan suggested exploring other resources, such as connections through the Northern Kane County Chamber of Commerce, that could provide similar information at little or no cost. Trustee Paul Humpfer, chairman of the business development commission, said officials should do some research before assuming those services are available elsewhere.
The village board is expected to continue discussions at an upcoming meeting.