Strong support for local businesses keeps Main Street shops bustling

She was in for a surprise.

“I put a crazy zebra-patterned chair in the window just for its ‘wow’ factor, to get attention, and I was shocked by the number of people who wanted to purchase it after it had already been sold,’’ said Hammonds, 39. “Concord is not as conservative as you might think.’’

Nor was she convinced that her Spero Home shop would fly in such a dismal economy. Yet as demand soars for her quirky inventory, Hammonds has hired two more employees to help staff the store and assist with her in-home decorating services.

“The reception has been huge,’’ she said.

The recession may have wreaked havoc from Wall Street to Main Street across much of America, but Concord has been working aggressively to keep its particular Main Street thriving.

On the forefront is the Concord Independent Business Alliance, dedicated to maintaining a sustainable town center.

“We do not want what happened to a few other towns around us to happen here, which is that landlords create larger spaces in hopes of seeing large franchises move in, which then often end up closing after two or three years because they don’t get enough foot traffic,’’ said Marie Foley, president of the alliance, nicknamed Concord Indies, and manager of Concord Hand Designs. “Our approach is that keeping independent, locally owned businesses in town makes Concord more fun.’’

Spero Home came into being this fall after a fire destroyed a graphic-design business that Hammonds operated above a children’s clothing boutique on Main Street. Her landlord offered her the space next door for the home decor shop.

“I had nothing left to lose,’’ Hammonds said.

“Landlords here are often willing to give someone a break,’’ said Foley. “For them, taking on a franchise owner is a risk in its own way because the business might not succeed, since Concord shoppers often prefer supporting local businesses.’’

Some owners of commercial properties need an extra nudge. One tack Concord Indies takes is to persuade them that making rents manageable for small businesses is in everyone’s best interest. Several landlords have responded favorably, Foley said, by providing breaks and incentives to the owners of new businesses.

And despite the putatively high price of real estate in Concord Center - typically $25 to $60 per square foot, according to Foley - sometimes it’s just a matter of finding the right opportunity.

Heidi Kidder and Ali Walsh spent months dreaming about starting a luxury-goods consignment business. When a longtime frame shop on Sudbury Road went out of business, they leapt at the chance to open their shop, Resale Inc., this fall.

“Other Concord businesses have been very supportive of us,’’ Kidder said. “People who own stores nearby dropped in to welcome us. They wish us good luck, and they say it’s great to see two women starting a business.’’

Walsh agrees that there’s a sense of solidarity in their retail neighborhood.

“This is a town that puts a lot of value on independent businesses,’’ she said. “It’s not a town of chain stores. No one here wants to see that. So when you open your own business, you get a lot of appreciation here.’’

And perhaps consignment is a particularly good business to operate in a tight economy.

“We take high-end luxury items in excellent condition,’’ Walsh said. “I think the reason it’s working is that our customers are accustomed to owning these kinds of items, and maybe now is a good time for them to buy them at a consignment shop for a slightly lower price than they usually pay.’’

It’s a good climate in which to build inventory as well, Kidder said, hypothesizing that women who once might have given their old designer clothing to Goodwill for free are now happy to receive a percentage back on it.

Jeff Blue opened his upscale men’s clothing store, Blue Dry Goods, in Concord Center in spring 2008, just as the retail economy began to falter. But lately, he said, things are looking up.

“Last year there was a sense of a panic mode, with people simply shutting down their spending,’’ Blue said.

“This year, although I don’t imagine we’ll see a return to conspicuous consumption any time soon, I think the worst is behind us, from a retail perspective.’’

And even though his prices are higher than those for men’s clothing at discount warehouses or mall stores, Blue said he has found customers appreciate the advantages his store offers.

“One thing we hear from customers is that they may be cutting back on trips to the mall but still want to support independent businesses,’’ he said.

In other words, the picture-book village charm of downtown Concord means enough to shoppers that they don’t mind spending more.

“In general, our customers want to preserve the uniqueness of Concord, and they know in order to do that they need to support independent businesses like mine,’’ Blue said. “We offer a level of service and merchandise they can’t find elsewhere.’’