How to Attract Younger Generations to Independent Stores | Are you inviting them in? | EP 13

11/20/24 • 11 min

This episode explores how independent retailers can attract and retain younger customers (Gen Z and millennials) to ensure business longevity. Join Teresa Zimmerman as she dives deep into effective strategies for connecting with younger generations in your stores. She addresses where to find these potential customers and how to meaningfully engage with them. Despite concerns about aging customer bases, research shows younger generations are increasingly drawn to independent retail stores, seeking personal connections and unique shopping experiences.

Key Topics Covered

-Strategies for attracting and retaining younger shoppers

-The importance of age diversity in customer base

-How to leverage technology and social media effectively

To attract younger shoppers, Here are three key strategies Terresa suggested:

1. Meet Them Where They Are: Utilize social media and other online platforms to share your journey and the behind-the-scenes efforts that go into running your store. Authenticity and storytelling can engage and draw in younger customers.

2. Make Your Offer Approachable: Ensure your store feels welcoming and approachable. Invite potential customers in, offer a variety of price points and styles, and create an atmosphere that makes them feel at ease.

3. Build Trust: Share your expertise and personal stories with your customers. Offering personalized advice and showing genuine interest in their preferences can build credibility and deepen connections.

Featured Success Stories:

Episode 1: Curtis Holloway

Episode 2: Kory Helfman

Episode 3: Alex Hamka

Check out the citation that Terresa wrote related to this episode: https://www.mainstreetmatters.co/thoughts-recognition/blog-post-title-four-j39p3

Connect with Us:

Main Street Matters Podcast:

Website: www.mainstreetmatters.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mainstreetmatters1

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/main-street-matters

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MainStreetMatters_MSM

Host - Terresa Zimmerman:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/terresachristensonzimmerman

Key Topics Covered

-Strategies for attracting and retaining younger shoppers

-The importance of age diversity in customer base

-How to leverage technology and social media effectively

To attract younger shoppers, Here are three key strategies Terresa suggested:

Featured Success Stories:

Episode 1: Curtis Holloway

Episode 2: Kory Helfman

Episode 3: Alex Hamka

Check out the citation that Terresa wrote related to this episode: https://www.mainstreetmatters.co/thoughts-recognition/blog-post-title-four-j39p3

Connect with Us:

Main Street Matters Podcast:

Website: www.mainstreetmatters.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mainstreetmatters1

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/main-street-matters

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MainStreetMatters_MSM

Host - Terresa Zimmerman:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/terresachristensonzimmerman

Previous Episode

Reviving Main Street: Stephanie Knoppe’s Mission for Poplar Bluff | EP 12

How’s your Main Street? Is it still the same as when you walked down it with your parents, grandparents, or friends?

In this week’s episode of Main Street Matters, host Terresa Zimmerman has a warm and nostalgic conversation with Stephanie Knoppe, the owner of, newly opened, Joe Lawrence's Haberdashery in Poplar Bluff. With a mission to restore Main Street’s charm and appeal, Stephanie and a handful of enterprising neighbors have taken on the ambitious task of building not just a business, but a true destination for her community - downtown, Main Street.

Stephanie shares her journey from starting with a prom dress resale shop, turning into a full women’s boutique, to opening a men’s clothing store in a historic building downtown—a dream that evolved from her love for Poplar Bluff’s Main Street. After acquiring and renovating several buildings, she’s turned a row of empty storefronts into a vibrant shopping destination, complete with unique offerings like custom ties, dress shirts, retro-inspired hats, and her signature displays—like a 1949 Chevy truck bed repurposed as a shelf.

She shared the challenges of launching a new business in a small town, admitting her uncertainty about how to do it well, ‘winging it’ she says, but staying driven by the feeling the town needs a men’s store. She reflects on the highs and lows of renovation, attracting new customers, and navigating brand conflicts, all while working to restore Main Street to the bustling community center she remembers from her childhood.

“Some of these buildings have such a rich history—they were the heart of the community. We’re just trying to make them that again.”

-Stephanie Knoppe, Owner of Joe Lawrence’s Haberdashery

Tune in for a heartfelt conversation that’s both inspiring and practical, as Stephanie shares:

Whether you're a business owner, a lover of Main Street, or just in need of a little entrepreneurial inspiration, this episode with Stephanie Knoppe will leave you motivated to support your local small businesses and see the value of a thriving Main Street.

Featured in this episode:

Stephanie Knoppe, Owner

Joe Lawrence’s Haberdashery

113 S Main

Poplar Bluff, MO 63901

Website: https://joe-lawrences-haberdashery.square.site/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joelawrencehab/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Joe-Lawrences-Haberdashery/61554697385939/?_rdr

Mentions in show:

If you are around Poplar Bluff you can support by visiting them.

Mimi's Market & Royal Cafe https://www.instagram.com/mimis_market_and_royal__cafe

Archer Gift Shop: https://www.instagram.com/archergiftco/

Hilda Rose Bakery (coming soon) - https://www.facebook.com/people/Hilda-Rose-Bakery/61564450205840/-

Fox Trot Coffee - https://www.instagram.com/foxtrotcoffeeroasters/

Downtown Poplar Bluff - https://www.facebook.com/Downtown.Poplar.Bluff

Connect with Us:

Main Street Matters Podcast:

Website: www.mainstreetmatters.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mainstreetmatters1

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/main-street-matters

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@MainStreetMatters_MSM

Host - Terresa Zimmerman:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/terresachristensonzimmerman

Next Episode

From Tailoring to Technology: How a 50-Year Downtown Business Stays Relevant | EP 14

We have another episode that will surely inspire you to continue doing your craft and keep a good relationship not only with your customers but also with other store owners.

Join Terresa Zimmerman and Tony Paranzino in this conversation. Tony, the owner of Tony the Tailor in Charleston, West Virginia, shares his remarkable journey from learning tailoring at age 9 in the family business to running a successful men's retail business for over 50 years. Tony’s father started as a technical designer for the Botany 500 suit. Following in his father's footsteps, Tony has built a reputation for excellence in tailoring and men's fashion, serving clients far beyond the borders of Charleston and West Virginia.

Through economic ups and downs, changing fashion trends, and evolving retail landscapes, Tony has successfully adapted his business model while maintaining the core values of exceptional service and quality. His business has transformed multiple times - from a pure tailor shop to a full men's store, back to tailoring, and now a comprehensive men's store with expert tailoring services, and a vibrant E-com business, generating over $1 million in annual online sales, alongside his brick-and-mortar operation.

Topics Discussed: