1. 12/21/2009
Study Purpose
Purpose of the study was to assess business’
attitudes or perceptions about the current and
future business environment in the Village of Yellow
Springs
YELLOW SPRINGS BUSINESS
RETENTION & EXPANSION
SURVEY
Wright State University
Center for Urban & Public Affairs
Survey Design Participating Businesses
Funding & project team membership came from: List was developed from business listings pulled
Village of Yellow Springs from subscription sources
Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce
The final database resulted in 142 business entities
Miami Township
Community Resources CUPA attempted to contact and set up interviews
Community Information Project with each of the companies on the final list.
102 companies (72%) responded to the survey
Survey design and the initial distribution list of 18 companies participated in the survey in both 1998
companies to be surveyed was a collaborative effort by and 2009
CUPA and the project team
1

2. 12/21/2009
Yellow Springs Businesses by Type Establishment Type
Retail Trade 30.4%
Health Care and Social Assistance 11.8%
Food Services 10.8%
Other Services 6.9%
Professional, Scientific, and Technical … 5.9% Locally Owned National
Non‐Profit Organizations 5.9% & Operated, Chain, 4.0%
Construction 4.9% 89.0%
Manufacturing 3.9% Regional
Schools‐Universities & Colleges Academic 2.9% Chain, 3.0%
Health Clubs Studios & Gymnasiums 2.9%
Finance and Insurance 2.9% Franchise,
Accommodations 2.9% 4.0%
Information 2.0%
Wholesale Trade 2.0%
Travel Arrangement and Reservation Service 2.0%
Agriculture 2.0%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Years of Operation in Yellow Springs Business Climate, 2007-2009
Increased Stayed the Same Declined
45.0%
41.0%
2009 1998 40.0%
5-9 years, 100+ years, 45% 36.5% 36.3% 36.1%
< 5 years, 40% 35.0% 34.6%
10% 4% 40% 35.0% 31.8% 31.8%
33.3% 32.1%
18%
35% 30.0% 28.8%
28% 29%
30%
24%
50-99 years, 25% 18% 25.0% 22.9%
14%
11% 20% 17% 17%
14% 20.0%
15%
10-24 years, 10%
25-49 years, 15.0%
34% 5%
23% 0%
10.0%
Pre- 1970 1980 1990 1999
1970 to to to to 5.0%
1979 1989 1998 2009
0.0%
Profit Sales Sales Number of
(Quantity) (Dollar) Customers
2

3. 12/21/2009
Change in Profitability and Customer
Business Environment Improvements
Traffic
Increased Stayed the Same Declined 1998 2009
70% 65.1% Upgrade Mix of Goods 60.5%
58.1% and/or Services 75.5%
60%
Computerize 53.5%
50% Records/Inventory 58.8%
41.0%
40% 36.5% 36.1% Participate in Joint Marketing
31.8% 31.8%
41.9%
30% Efforts 56.9%
23.3% 22.9% 20.9%
18.6% 48.8%
20% Remodel Facilities
11.6% 55.9%
10%
Attend Business Training 48.8%
0% 46.1%
2009 1998 2009 1998 30.2%
Change Business Hours
28.4%
Change in Profitability Change in Customer Traffic
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0%
Finances
67.7%
Planned Business Expansion Roads
45.2%
Other
21.9%
Energy Costs 12.9%
If you are expanding, what is the nature of this expansion?
Transportation/Freight
12.9%
Additional equipment/technology 62.5% Lack of Skilled Employees
6.5%
Larger service area/geography 45.8% Identifying and Accessing New Markets
6.5%
Additional services for customers 45.8% Local Taxes
3.2%
Additional product lines 33.3% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Increased floor space 33.3%
Breakdown by major constraints to business expansion
Increased staff 25.0%
Other 25.0% Companies were also asked if they had any barriers to
renovation or expansion. Nearly forty percent (39.8%)
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% indicated that they did.
3

4. 12/21/2009
Employees, 2009 Benefits Received by Employees
Benefits Receive by Employees
Full-time Full-time Part-time Part-time
2009 1998 2009 1998
100.0%
90.0% 87.3%
81.8%
80.0%
70.0% 65.5%
5-9,
13.4% 60.0% 54.5%
5-9, 50.0%
10-24, 17.3% 37.2% 27.9% 32.6%
0-4, 40.0% 25.6%
9.8% 0-4, 23.3% 27.9%
70.7% 30.0% 23.3% 20.9% 20.9%
72.0% 10-24, 20.0%
25-49, 1.2% 11.6%
9.3% 10.0% 7.0% 7.0%
50-99, 3.7%
100-249, 1.2% 0.0%
Health Insurance Retirement Vacation Leave Sick Leave
100-249,
1.3%
Yellow Springs as a Place to Conduct How would you rate the quality of
Business public services/infrastructure?
(Good/excellent)
One of every 2009 1998
three 90% Fire 97.9%
respondents 80% 85% Public Schools
82% 92.4%
(36.4%) 70%
Gas 92.0%
noted that 60%
Yellow Police 91.0%
50%
Springs is an Waste Disposal 90.1%
excellent 40%
30% Sewer 78.3%
place to
conduct 20% Electric 78.2%
business 10% 18%
14% Street Lighting 74.7%
0% Water 65.6%
Good or Excellent Fair or Poor
Roads 65.3%
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
4

5. 12/21/2009
Amenities in the Downtown Area
Two of every
three 80%
2009 1998
Survey Findings
respondents 70% 76%
(63.1%)
60% 67% Recommendations for Addressing the Survey
believe that
there is no 50%
Findings
need to 40%
expand the
area of the 30% 33%
Central 20% 24%
Business 10%
District in
Yellow 0%
Springs Good or Excellent Fair or Poor
Overall, business owners/managers Parking continues to be identified as a
are satisfied with Yellow Springs problem by businesses
Respondents
The Village and Chamber should develop a Firms cite a The Village and the Chamber of
indicated
follow-up process to identify those firms with shortage of Commerce should work collaboratively to
support for
barriers to expansion. This may include a series spaces and address the parking issues.
the creation
of business focus groups or roundtables. convenience
The Village and the Chamber should continue to
when speaking Draw business district clientele to areas
of business
collaboratives assess the business community’s perception of
of the current
parking
where lot parking is available by clearly
to address strengths, weakness, barriers, attractions, and situation and a marking all available lots and infrequently
concerns available services in a Retention and Expansion lack of used parking areas with easy to follow
Survey deployed every five to ten years. satisfaction signage directing traffic to these areas.
about with the
business The Village and/or the Chamber of Commerce appearance of The Village should design a program to
retention and should attempt to educate businesses about and the central
expansion in business
help businesses clean up and enhance their
connect additional members from the business properties, possibly enforcing minimum
the Yellow district.
community with the Yellow Springs Together property maintenance codes.
Springs study cooperative marketing plan.
area
5

6. 12/21/2009
Recommendations
Closures affect more than just the workers. Local economic
development officials should conduct an economic impact study to Thank you.
learn how these changes have and will affect their community.
The Village or Chamber of Commerce should conduct exit Questions?
interviews or surveys with the businesses who decided to relocate
to other areas to inform economic development officials of the
barriers to expansion or retention driving their decision to leave.
The Village should also continue to sponsor the cost of living study
every ten years. Local economic development officials should
conduct an economic impact study to learn how these changes
have and will affect their community. Closures affect more than
just the workers.
6