Culver is taking important steps to support local businesses. The Town of Culver, the Marshall County Economic Development Corporation (MCEDC), and Culver Main Street Corporation, are launching the Culver Business Expansion and Retention (CBEAR) program. This program will assess and determine the needs of retail and commercial businesses so that Culver can develop programming to provide business assistance.
The CBEAR program will be coordinated by team of trained community volunteers. The team will hold one-on-one, onsite interviews with business leaders, using a formal survey. The goal of this survey is to gain their perspective on business related issues. Collectively, the data and impressions collected from Culver businesses will allow Culver to continue to develop plans that address business concerns and help businesses thrive.
“As evidenced by our recent Stellar and Main Street designations, Culver is dedicated to planning projects that will help our community grow and improve quality of life,” says Jonathan Leist, Culver Town Manager. “Now we want to focus our efforts on another important part of our community—small businesses. Meeting directly with our restaurants, shops, and other local businesses will help us understand what they need and how we can help them.”
MCEDC has conducted similar interviews with Marshall County manufacturers through the BEAR program, which has lead to MCEDC’s current business retention programs. CBEAR is the first program in the county aimed at commercial businesses, and it has the potential to provide similar programming as a result. These businesses are a vital component of Culver’s economy. Understanding the needs of commercial and retail businesses will ultimately aid in the town’s long-term growth.
