A look ahead: Chelsea seeks more retail to serve growing population

In 2018, the city of Chelsea will continue to aggressively recruit more retail establishments.

And those efforts should begin to pay off as Chelsea continues to add to its population, said Kelly Cofer, president and CEO of The Retail Coach, a Mississippi consulting firm that has worked with the city since early 2017.

“A number of retailers have expressed interest in Chelsea, but a common response we hear is, ‘It’s just a bit too early,’” Cofer said. “With Chelsea’s continued residential growth, it will soon become a ‘self-contained’ suburban retail market.”

And recruitment efforts are already in high gear, according to Will Kline, a Retail Coach project manager.

“We’ve reached out to 40-plus retailers, and we’ve attended a number of trade shows, some accompanied by Mayor [Tony] Picklesimer,” Kline said.

In December, The Retail Coach was narrowing that list of 40 retailers to a few targets, Kline said.

“We’ve had some very positive talks with a number of retailers, including restaurants, shoe stores and auto-parts dealers,” he said.

Chelsea’s main selling point is its location near Birmingham on U.S. 280, a major travel corridor, Kline said.

“If you are a retailer and want visibility, you want to be on 280,” he said.

The new Highlands residential development near Chelsea High School could also represent an opportunity to recruit restaurants, retailers and grocery stores, according to Kline.

“As more properties are sold there, I can see us really playing off that,” he said.