Business surveys planned

Members of the Sparta Revitalization Committee hope surveys they plan to distribute soon will lead to improving economic conditions in Alleghany County.

They especially look to survey results to help find ways to encourage local shopping and recruit new merchants.

The committee tweaked the survey form during its meeting July 16. Susan Miles Reinhardt, who chairs the SRC's economic restructuring subcommittee, distributed copies of the two forms — one a survey of consumers, the other of businesses.

The surveys offer respondents the option of anonymity. The consumer questionnaire asks individuals about their shopping activities, including frequency, location and the types of businesses they patronize, and what additional businesses they might patronize if they were available. The business surveys ask entrepreneurs about their business' size, type, advertising and hours of operation.

Both surveys ask respondents to rate Sparta and Alleghany County in regard to categories such as infrastructure, safety, facilities and attractiveness.

Reinhardt said she talked with Alleghany High School teacher Lewis Wagoner, who said he will have his class help conduct the consumer survey by telephone. The committee hopes to start the survey sometime next month, after the beginning of the school year.

Reinhardt and other members suggested having separate color-coded survey forms distributed at "outskirt" areas such as Laurel Springs, Piney Creek and Ennice, where residents are more likely to shop in certain respective places outside the county (Ennice residents are relatively close to Galax, Va., Piney Creek to Jefferson, etc.).

Member Dave Biggerstaff suggested adding automobile purchase and service to the categories where consumers are asked to indicate where they shop.

"The most important thing in this survey is where are people going to shop for these things," he said.

SRC Chairman Sandy Rost said the opportunity to have a glass of wine with a meal at a restaurant might make a difference, and that might be included on the survey. She said that was one of the reasons the downstairs portion of Sparta Restaurant was popular.

"Not because you want to get plastered, but because you want to have a little wine with your meal," rejoined Reinhardt.

"The W-Word"

Vice Chairman Sandy Carter then said, "You know that the bulk of our people either go to Elkin or Galax to Wal-Mart." She said some local residents wish Alleghany County would get a Wal-mart. "That would be the kiss of death for the rest of our businesses," she said.
 
 

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