April 24, 2025

City Generates Public Input on Vacant Storefronts

Each fall, the City of Grand Rapids, MI, hosts ArtPrize. Over 16 days, art is exhibited in galleries, storefronts, parks, museums, and other venues. Through public and juried voting, cash prizes are awarded.

With almost 800,000 people visiting downtown to view and vote on artwork, the city decided to ask them what they would like to see in each of 12 vacant storefronts. QR codes were posted on empty windows with the question, "What do you want here?" The QR codes link to a survey with six quick questions.

Residents and visitors wanted to see a mix of clothing, outdoor, book, health food, and fresh produce retailers, as well as entertainment-based restaurants that blend food, drink, and entertainment with themed environments, trivia nights, karaoke, live performances, and creative menus.

More on retail attraction appears regularly in the pages of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter.

Click below to learn more about Downtown Idea Exchange and other resources for revitalizing downtowns and commercial corridors.

Learn More

Subscribe Today

Recommended Reading

Downtown Planning
for Smaller and Midsized Communities

A good plan will help revitalize a struggling downtown and sustain a successful one.

Downtown Planning for Smaller and Midsized Communities looks at all facets of planning for the traditional downtown or commercial corridor — physical, economic, social, and political. And, it takes you step by step through the process of creating a plan for your community with best practices for:

• The groundwork before planning
• The process of preparing the downtown plan
• The physical plan
• The economic and marketing plan
• The implementation strategy.

With numerous graphics and real-world examples, Downtown Planning for Smaller and Midsized Communities is a valuable guide for everyone planning for the future.

Order Today

Read a Sample

View the Table of Contents

View an Author Interview

Learn More

Downtown Planning for Smaller and Midsized Communities is just one of the many books on Downtown Economic Development available from the Downtown Development Center.