Comments on: Rural retail trend 2016: diversification https://smallbizsurvival.com/2016/03/rural-retail-trend-2016-diversification.html The small town and rural business resource Thu, 14 Apr 2016 19:46:32 +0000 hourly 1 By: Becky McCray https://smallbizsurvival.com/2016/03/rural-retail-trend-2016-diversification.html#comment-241618 Tue, 08 Mar 2016 13:23:12 +0000 http://smallbizsurvival.com/?p=10245#comment-241618 Michelle, that’s a great way to look at which products to diversify into.

Reader Nora Nikkel wrote in with her own experiences:

“We started 10 years ago with only antique furniture. At that time we had no other stores–only real estate & Insurances offices (lots of those) and one grocery store in town.. We quickly realized that people needed more than that. We now carry gourmet foods, fashion (jewelry, clothes, scarves, hats, gloves handbags & wallets, & readers and sunglasses). We also carry books, candy, kitchen goods ,sofas, chairs and all kinds of home décor. We are very happy with our expansion and has been good for our customers. We are only 20 minutes from a city, but people shop in our town because they do not want to fight the traffic and we have ample parking. We have also opened a tea room attached to our store and that brings women in to eat and shop. It has worked out well.
We now have a Walmart an d five antique stores on Main Street so we are a destination.

]]> By: Michelle Kiley https://smallbizsurvival.com/2016/03/rural-retail-trend-2016-diversification.html#comment-241617 Mon, 07 Mar 2016 17:53:03 +0000 http://smallbizsurvival.com/?p=10245#comment-241617 I think the key is finding complimentary, unique products that engage in increased social marketing (selling the lifestyle) as it relates to a company’s larger ticket items.

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