David Mekarski, village administrator for the suburb of Matteson, recalls it took more than three years to land a Starbucks, noting retailers have been hesitant locating in a community that has seen its African-American share of the population increase to 60%.
"It's something we can't sweep under the carpet," Mekarski says. "We need to recognize that profits and dollars are not white, they're not black, but green."
Mekarski says an irony is that the shift in demographics has resulted in a wealthier community, with a 41% jump in household income during a four-year period as well as a doubling of median home values to $250,000. Nonetheless, retailers who have located in Matteson often do not spend as much on capital investment, as well as for operations and maintenance, as they might elsewhere, Mekarski claims. And merchandising has often been aimed at a "hip-hop" audience rather than an affluent suburban market, he adds.
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