Carpentersville extends recruiter's contract despite lack of new retailers

Carpentersville is spending another $30,000 on a national business recruiter hired to fill empty storefronts.

Alabama-based Retail Strategies has yet to secure any new retailers for the village since the initial $50,000 yearlong deal was approved in January 2017. But many village officials said they believe the firm has laid the groundwork for future success.

Retail Strategies conducted a trade area and retail gap analysis, developed a marketing brochure and met with 52 potential retailers, some of which are considering settling in the village, Economic Development Director Patrick Burke said. Representatives also gathered feedback from businesses that indicated they weren't interested.

"They feel they're getting a lot of good traction," said Trustee Paul Humpfer, also chairman of the village's business development commission. "They say this is not (abnormal). It does take a year or two to roll out a community to retailers and have them finally make a decision on where they want to land."

The village board voted 5-1 last week to extend the contract with Retail Strategies for another year. The goal is to find tenants for vacant or underused buildings, including the shuttered Dominick's on Randall Road, parcels along the Route 25 corridor, the Huntley Square Shopping Center and other Route 31 properties, Burke said.

Trustee Diane Lawrence, who voted against the measure, said she lacked confidence that Retail Strategies would fulfill its key objective. She questioned why many of Carpentersville's storefronts remained empty while the adjacent Algonquin has gotten new businesses such as a new deli, bakery and gym.

"I think we've had some misses," she said. "What I'm nervous about is, if we use them again this year, what are we going to miss out on again that we could've approached ourselves and had fill out that space?"

Lawrence also was among a handful of trustees who suggested working out a new deal with Retail Strategies that would allow the village to recapture funds if the firm doesn't pin down a major retailer. Firm representatives declined renegotiating, saying they didn't want to set a precedent, Burke said.

However, after discussing the firm's plans for the next year, Village President John Skillman said he believes the village soon will reap the benefits of working with experienced recruiters. In addition to continuing conversations with potential tenants, Retail Strategies plans to represent the village at major trade shows.

"They're still positive about something happening for us," Skillman said.