Grogan's Mill Association asks residents to get creative juices flowing to help make shopping center more viable to shoppers

04/19/2006
Grogan's Mill Association asks residents to get creative juices flowing to help make shopping center more viable to shoppers
By:TIFFANY WILLIAMS , Villager staff

The Grogan's Mill Village Association is offering a $25 gift certificate to the resident who proposes the most novel idea to bring business back to the Grogan's Mill Village Center. The center has been suffering in recent years, said the association's president, Bruce Cunningham. "We're looking for anything that can help bring traffic back to the area," Cunningham said. "We'll probably give a gift certificate to the person with the very best idea, but we've got enough money that if there are a couple of great ideas, we can award that too."

Cunningham said the association is in the process of developing a merchant's association for the 20 stores that remain within the shopping center to make communicating with business owners more convenient. Stores like Daylight Donuts, Ace House of Travel and Cheryl's Cards left the center within the past few years. "A merchant's association will give us the ability to deal with one group rather than trying to deal with each store individually, which took a couple of weeks," Cunningham said.

He said during his discussions with merchants in the center, which have been intermittently ongoing since last fall, only one store, The Beverage Shoppe, has indicated business has improved over the past few months. Managers at other stores, which can be found on the GMVA Web site, www.gmva.org, under "Retail and Dining," have said business has remained steadily low or declined. Among the 20 businesses there, three banks, five restaurants, two gas stations and two education facilities remain in Grogan's Mill Shopping Center.

Cunningham said the village association welcomes ideas to improve signage, which would have to be approved by the Design Standards Committee before it could be implemented, bring activities to the center that could increase traffic, add destination venues such as an appealing retail or restaurant chain or other suggestions."What would make it a more attractive place to visit?" he asked.

Dana Denton, vice president of the GMVA, said the gift card is an incentive that will help "gauge how aware the residents are in Grogan's Mill about what is happening in their village center." "I don't think people are aware there is any danger the center could disappear," Denton said. Denton said any resident of The Woodlands could submit a suggestion. "We have to make sure residents are active in anything that is happening. Plus, we want to get the creative juices flowing," she said.

Denton said GMVA members have acknowledged The Woodlands has many appealing retail options, which is why the group welcomes responses from residents about major chains they would like to see in the center. "Having a vital village center is something that would help us maintain the attractiveness and value of our neighborhoods," Denton said. "I know we are competing with businesses on Sawdust, but what would people like to see in the village center?"

She also said the village association is doing its part to remind residents about the businesses that already exist in Grogan's Mill Village Center by offering gift certificates in the center to homeowners who win prizes for Yard of the Month and other contests.

Residents who want to submit an idea can contact the association by e-mail at webmaster@grogansmillvillage.com. "We just want people to know that every time they drive passed the Grogan's Mill Village Center to another retail destination, they are just putting another nail in the coffin," Denton said.