Consumer preferences

A survey of the Fort Polk family (military and civilian) demonstrated that consumers most desire new dining options. Restaurants were the top two choices ranked among the development options listed. (Click on chart to see a larger version.)

Chart source: Community Land Use & Economics Group, LLC

Consumer buying power for Restaurant Dining

Restaurant sales in the Parish ($15.8 million) represent less than half of the total consumer buying power in the Parish ($39.6 million).

Over the next three years, buying power in the region will likely increase if anticipated Army Growth Plan brings the Battlefield Surveillance Brigade to Fort Polk. The addition of 2,042 soldiers, plus their families, will have economic impacts on and off-Post. This new population will add $5.8 million to the region’s buying power in restaurant sales alone.

When the anticipated Army Growth Plan population is included, the anticipated restaurant sales void increases from $15.8 million to $21.6 million, assuming the number of restaurants in the Parish remains steady.

(Source of buying power calculations: The Community Land Use & Economics Group, LLC)

The Army Family frequently dines off-Post

The Army family’s tendency to dine off-post is likely related to several factors:

• Fort Polk offers limited dining options on-post. (There are more options off-post.)
• Most members of the Fort Polk family live off-post. Among survey respondents, 34% live on-post and 31% live in Leesville. Most of the rest live in DeRidder, Anacoco, or New Llano.
• The Army family is accustomed to a variety of foods and cuisines, so they may be more motivated to travel for dining.

A-CHP and the Community Land Use & Economics Group conducted six focus groups with local consumers and potential restaurant patrons. Focus group participants included:

1. Leesville residents and families (generally with children)
2. Retirees
3. Single service members
4. NCO’s and families (generally with children)
5. Commissioned officers and families (generally with children)
6. Army civilians

Restaurant qualities & characteristics

No single restaurant can satisfy all people and all tastes in Leesville and Fort Polk, but a new restaurant must have broad appeal if it is to succeed, and it must have some distinguishing advantage from other nearby offerings. For Leesville and Fort Polk consumers, these include:

• Family atmosphere. Of the various consumer markets in Leesville and at Fort Polk, the most broadly compatible restaurant type is family-dining. This category, while not a first choice for single soldiers, will have near-universal appeal among Leesville families, officer families, and Army civilians.
• Moderate price point. There is a limited market for upscale dining in Leesville, and the recent opening of the Booker-Lewis House restaurant is capturing much of this market.
• Alcoholic beverages. The availability of alcoholic beverages at a restaurant is important to most focus group participants. Alcohol service may also be critical to a restaurant’s financial feasibility.
• Entertainment. More important to the Army family (and less important to the community customers) is the availability of some kind of entertainment while dining or socializing.

Potential restaurant concepts

While the Army family is accustomed to more exotic cuisines than many typical consumers, Leesville is not particularly lacking in ethnic food choices; several offerings exist on 171 (Japanese, Thai, Korean, Mexican and others). Based on research conducted by A-CHP and the Community Land Use & Economics Group, there are two “crowd-pleaser” opportunities for restaurant concepts:

• Pub-and-grill, offering steaks and other fairly standard fare in a cozy atmosphere.
• Traditional Italian, offering pastas and sauces and other traditional fare.

For both of these, Leesville residents and the Army family now travel significant distances to dine at chain establishments.

Potential barriers

Inexpensive real estate, available space, a downtown employment base (as the Vernon Parish seat), and the proximity of Fort Polk make downtown an easy place to foster restaurant development. But an entrepreneur will face a number of barriers downtown:

• Foot traffic is currently very light, despite visits generated by the Courthouse and Parish offices.
• Building configurations may require creative design and adaptation.
• Most buildings, though inexpensive, require substantial investment, ADA compliance, and a kitchen.
• There are perceived parking limitations downtown (although, in practice, on-street parking is generally available).
• It’s easier to develop on 171, where building configurations and parking are more flexible.
• Traditional financing for a downtown restaurant will be difficult to secure.

Contrary to some local perceptions, liquor licensing ordinances do not present a barrier to development of a restaurant in most of the historic downtown core. The ordinance prohibits liquor sales within 300 feet of a playground or a “church, synagogue, public library, or school.” The majority of buildings on Third Street between Mechanic Street and Lula Street are more than 300 feet from these institutions.

Worker-owned restaurant: Moosewood Restaurant

Moosewood Restaurant is a renowned vegetarian restaurant in Ithaca, NY, founded in 1973. It is operated as a "collective" -- a worker-owned cooperative -- by its 19 owners. The owners are also the chefs and function in other staff capacities. The Moosewood Collective has published 12 cookbooks.

Photo credit:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bettinche/ / CC BY-NC 2.0

Community investor group: Firefly Restaurant

Firefly Restaurant was started by a small group of local investor/businesspeople in Effingham, IL. The group of 18 incorporated, capitalized the business, and developed the restaurant building. The restaurant owners are Kristie & Niall Campbell, a husband-wife team. Kristie is a native of Effingham with banking and marketing experience; Niall is a professional chef. They are co-investors in Firefly. The restaurant opened in 2006.













Photo credit: Mark Ballogg / Firefly Restaurant

Cooperatively-owned restaurant: The New Deal Cafe

The New Deal Cafe in Greenbelt, MD, is a restaurant, art gallery, music venue, and community gathering spot. It is run as a cooperative, owned by its members. The board employs a general manager and some members work the bar, or as servers, on weekends. The New Deal Cafe began as an all-volunteer operation in 1999.















Photo credit: Josh Bloom, Community Land Use + Economics Group, LLC (cluegroup.com)