June 11, 2026

Highly Targeted Retail Recruitment Attracts New Market

In April 2024, the economic development department in Surprise, AZ, put out a spoof video calling for Whole Foods Market to open a location in the city.

Surprise’s lighthearted video imagined a kale shortage in the Phoenix suburb. Featuring an appearance by the mayor and fake news coverage, the spoof used humor to create buzz while pitching the city as an ideal location for a Whole Foods Market.

The city says that the social media campaign sparked engagement from residents, businesses, and viewers across the country, generating attention for Surprise as a retail destination.

In March, the city announced that it had received a building permit application for the construction of a 35,000-square-foot Whole Foods Market.

In addition to the attention grabbing video, the city also conducts an annual survey of residents to determine what they would like to see downtown. Then, it encourage residents to get involved by contacting their favorite retailers and restaurants. The city website provides a sample letter and contact information for Surprise’s most wanted businesses.

Business recruitment is covered regularly in Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter.

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Recast Your City: How to Save Your Downtown
with Small-Scale Manufacturing

In Recast Your City, community development expert Ilana Preuss explains how local leaders can revitalize their downtowns by attracting and supporting maker businesses.

From craft jewelers, to makers of small batch lotions and cosmetics, to microbrewers, Preuss says that this new breed of small-scale manufacturers could lead the next wave of downtown revitalization.

Preuss draws on her experience working with local governments, large and small, to demonstrate how maker businesses help create thriving places, with local business ownership opportunities, and well-paying jobs.

Preuss also provides the practical tools that local leaders need to develop their strategy, find and attract small-scale manufacturers, and create a local business climate and physical environment where small-scale manufacturing can thrive.

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Recast Your City is just one of the many books on Downtown Economic Development available from the Downtown Development Center.