Arnold: Opportunities in retail and dining abound for young, local entrepreneurs

When you drive around Licking County you see endless signs for new businesses and retail space available.

While there is the occasional going-out-of-business sign, the retail environment is Licking County is fairly strong. When I first came to Licking County nine years ago, the retail landscape was not nearly as vibrant as it is today. There are more businesses, more restaurants and better parking and traffic patterns. For the most part, Licking County enjoys a strong retail sector. However, we do have some hurdles to overcome.

A few months ago, the Newark Advocate posted a question on Facebook asking what restaurants residents would like to see in Licking County. I thoroughly enjoyed scrolling through the comments to see what locals want for our community. Respondents asked for a Golden Corral or Chic-fil-A. And while both of those restaurants would work well in Newark and Heath, other responses were more surprising. Mellow Mushroom and Bibibop were mentioned many times. It is interesting to consider that many residents mentioned that they leave the county to visit restaurants like these and the variety that they can only find outside of our area. Why don’t we have this diversity of retail dining options here in Licking County?

For many of the qualities it offers, I typically say that being close to Columbus metropolitan area is a good thing. We have access to big-city amenities, yet enjoy the many benefits of a hometown hospitality, without the hustle and bustle. However, when it comes to our retail environment, proximity to a large city can be a detriment. Our community is often overlooked by retail developers who cite that we’re just too close to Columbus.  And yet, we might be 15-20 minutes to the closest Starbucks drive thru or some of the aforementioned restaurants. Yes, we can all cross the county line in a relatively short time in order to visit one of these establishments, but those of us who live and work in Licking County want these amenities here in our city.

If you analyze the options in Lancaster or Zanesville, you may see that they have more options for dining and retail. These cities are similar to Newark/Heath in terms of size and demographic makeup. Yet, because they are further from the big city, more shopping options locate to those cities. Thus, Licking County is missing out on some of these retail options, such as Pier 1 or Menards.

Go shopping on any weekend and you’re likely to stand in line at the checkout. Restaurants in Licking County commonly have a 30- or 45-minute wait. We clearly can support far more options than currently exist. Most would agree they prefer to support a local entrepreneur than a large chain, but sometimes we are blinded in our thinking that chains are the only way for growth. It is proven that locally owned, independent retail and restaurants can thrive in communities such as ours. For young professionals in Licking County, this offers a great opportunity to open their own business. Whether it’s a boutique or a restaurant, Licking County offers an outstanding location in which to live and do business; and it offers an incredibly supportive environment for the young entrepreneur with a dream.

Young professionals age 21 to 40 living or working in our community are encouraged to learn more about how one of those resources, Young Leaders of Licking County, uses leadership, creative arts and culture, networking and community development and philanthropy to foster our next generation of leaders. The group is active on Facebook and Twitter, or can be contacted at YoungLeadersofLC.com.

Nathan Arnold is marketing manager for Utica-based Velvet Ice Cream and a founding board member of Young Leaders of Licking County. Arnold is a regular contributor to the Business Advocate, writing a monthly column that highlights young leaders in the Licking County business community.