There has been a lot of talk lately on DeepSaidWhat.com in our comments section about what type of businesses would or wouldn’t work in Dearborn. Given that, we thought it would be worth reposting a story we wrote on this topic May 28, 2007. The story centered around the results of a Dearborn Chamber of Commerce survey and the types of businesses Dearborn residents wanted. Kohl’s rated in the top three, for those wondering.  While not entirely scientific, we thought the survey was a good effort by the Chamber. The results likely would still hold up today.

Below is the repost:

Say what you will about the Fairlane Town Center but Dearborn residents rate the mall as their favorite place to shop, ahead of Southland and Twelve Oaks, according to an informal online survey conducted by the Dearborn Chamber of Commerce.

That answer was one of 17 gleamed from the online survey designed to pinpoint the type of businesses people want to see come to Dearborn. The Chamber administered the survey, while the questions were developed by Steve Guile, Dearborn’s deputy director of economic development and Chamber board member Sandy Boulton, who runs her own marketing company.

While I agree that this unscientific survey is about as accurate as licking your finger and holding it up in the air to determine wind direction, it does provide a glimpse of what people are thinking. Not just on the types of retail stores but whether Dearborn residents want boutique shops, large chain stores, malls or main street-style retail shops in our city. Interestingly, the majority of survey respondents were women (60 percent) and the majority of all of those who took part in the survey were in the 48124 zip code.

When local residents, workers and business owners were asked what shopping mall they most frequented the Fairlane Mall topped the list with 24.2 responding it was their top shopping spot. Rounding out the top three was Southland (15.4 percent) and Twelve Oaks (14.6 percent).

Dearbornites also want to see more outdoor concerts, festivals and art shows in their city, according to the survey results, which explains why our Dearborn Homecoming is such a hit each year. Overall, Dearborn residents are quite happy with their city, the survey revealed. What they are searching for, however, is something to do between the eating and drinking that takes place on any given day. What can be done, say, in a four hour block between the time dinner is over and the nightcap? Filling that four hour window could be a movie, a museum, a few boutique shops strung together that people can stop in to shop.

“People want something to do in Dearborn beyond restaurants and bars,” says Jennifer Giering, president of the Dearborn Chamber of Commerce. “They want something to do between dinner and drinks.”

For instance, survey results show that the three most important features in a downtown were that it had to be walkable (88.7 percent), have ample parking (74 percent) and outdoor/patio seating at restaurants and bars (71.6 percent).

So what were the top three national chain stores residents would like to see locate in Dearborn? Specialty grocery store Trader Joe’s (56 percent), followed by Crate and Barrel (54.8 percent) and then Kohls (49.9 percent). Any of these stores would do well in Dearborn but we our city is competing against many others seeking to attract the same.

The survey is a good first step for Dearborn, even if it merely validates what our city leaders and businesses already know. At a minimum, it might help get people talking and perhaps shed more light on the types of issues facing Dearborn and then generate ideas that could help improve our city.

The complete survey can be viewed by clicking here: Chamber Survey Results

Dearborn businessman Kayed Bazzi will be thanking his customers with discounted gas beginning at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 7, at his B P gas station at 10601 East Outer Drive and Harper.

Mr. Bazzi thought the best way to show appreciation for his customers after one of them won a $1 million lottery prize in December was to sell 10,000 gallons of discounted gasoline at his Detroit station. Bazzi received a $2,000 commission from the state lottery for selling the winning ticket, an amount he plans to give back to his customers.

The discount will work this way: Bazzi will sell the gasoline for 20 cents per gallon below the cost to him from the supplier. “For instance, today the price is $1.69, my cost is $1.60,” he earlier told the Detroit Free Press. “I’m going to sell it for $1.40.”

At a time when many people are working hard to make ends meet, including business owners, Bazzi’s generous gesture is worth recognition. To that we say, well done!