Urban Development Concerns Rural Businesses

HELLO, I'M JENNIFER CRAWFORD. THANK YOU FOR JOINING US. IT'S NO SECRET THAT EVERY YEAR IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA FARMLAND AND WOODS ARE TURNING INTO DEVELOPMENTS FOR HOUSING AND RETAIL OUTLETS. BUT WHAT ABOUT BUSINESSES FOCUSED ON RULE LIFE? HOW CAN THEY SURVIVE THE LOSS OF FARMS AND RANCHES AND STILL FIND CUSTOMERS WHO APPRECIATE A COUNTRY LIFESTYLE. WGCUS MIKE WALCHER LOOKED FOR ANSWERS NORTH OF FORT MYERS IN THIS WEEK'S FOCUS ON BUSINESS. >> AGRICULTURE AND OPEN LAND USED TO DOMINATE THIS REGION. NOW HOMES AND COMMERCIAL OUTLETS REPLACE WHAT WAS SO HOW DO YOU WESTERN WEAR STORE IN NORTH FORT MYERS, HAVING STRONG SALES? >> I BELIEVE A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH YELLOWSTONE. WESTERN WEAR TO THE MAINSTREAM. >> THAT'S WET CORNER OF MARY LOU'S. SHE CREDITS TELEVISION AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY WITH HELPING TO SELL CLASSIC WESTERN ITEMS. >> SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BEEN AN AWESOME OUTLET FOR OUR BUSINESS. IT'S FREE AND EVERYBODY'S ON THEIR PHONE. I WANT IF THEY'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THEY GOOGLE IT AND WE POP UP. >> WHAT DO YOU USE FACEBOOK PRIMARILY OR OTHER FACEBOOK? >> INSTAGRAM TIKTOK. >> THAT APPROACH MAKES SENSE TO DOCTOR GINA TREND, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR AT FGCU SLUGGER COLLEGE OF BUSINESS. >> I THINK THAT THESE BUSINESSES CAN CONSIDER USING INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA AS A TOOL TO BE EACH POTENTIAL. NEW CUSTOMERS, VISITORS TO THE AREA. ALL RIGHT. AND THESE BUSINESSES SHOULD LEAN IN ON WHAT THEIR SIGNATURES ARE, WHETHER IT'S A SIGNATURE SERVICE SIGNATURE PRODUCT TO MARKET OFFERING THAT THEY'RE GOING TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD >> ITS FEET STORE SAYS IT SURVIVES BY SELECTIVE MARKETING AND CHANGING AS THE CUSTOMER BASE INVOLVED. FEW TRIALS SAYS IT SELLS MORE DOG FOOD THAN EVER. NOT JUST FEED FOR FARM ANIMALS AND IT'S STILL IN FORT MYERS. AFTER 80 YEARS, EVEN AGAINST TRACTOR SUPPLY'S, BIG COMPANY COMPETITION. LAWHON STORE AND DELI AND THE BAYSHORE AREA DOES A BOOMING BUSINESS WITH FRESH COUNTRY. STAPLES. AND THAT OLD FASHION BUTCHER SHOP. LAWNS USES SOME SOCIAL MEDIA. BUT A LONGTIME EMPLOYEE SAYS WORD OF MOUTH AND COUNTRY VALUES KEEP THIS PLACE GOING. >> ON US LEGITIMATE NICE TO EVERYBODY. IF NOBODY JUDGES, NOBODY, NOBODY KIDS. IF YOU FAT, SKINNY, OLD, YOUNG, RICH, POOR, THEY LOVE EVERYBODY IN HERE AND EVERYBODY'S EQUAL. AND WHICH WAS A KEY SITE. >> A RISE OF IT IS SAID THAT MIGHT BRING ME. I GOT IT. >> PROFESSOR TREND SAYS WHEN SHE TRAVELS, SHE LOVES TO SAMPLE LOCAL PRODUCTS HANDING OUT FOR TODAY. HIGH REMINDER THAT SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS SHOULD PLAY UP WHAT THEY HAVE. THAT'S DIFFERENT. >> WE CAN'T JUST DECIDE. >> WE BETTER THROUGH SOUTH BERGERON AND RE-IMAGINED STATUTE. >> THE LOCAL ATMOSPHERE AND WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING THAT IS UNIQUE OR SPECIAL. THAT'S WHAT THEY NEED TO LEAN IN ON AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CUSTOMERS AND POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS KNOW ABOUT THIS AND GET THAT INFORMATION AND GOOGLE REVIEWS IS A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT. >> AT MARY LOU'S THE HUGE ASSORTMENT OF PRODUCTS SEEMS TO ATTRACT MORE YOUNG CUSTOMERS. >> I SHOP HERE ACROSS BECAUSE THIS PLACE IT'S UNIQUE. IT'S NOT ANY OTHER STORE. YOU CANNOT FIND STUFF THAT YOU WANT SUMMER HERE SOMEWHERE. THERE. ITS EXCLUSIVE THE AT THE STORE AND I DRIVE 30 MINUTES. I GOT 30 MINUTES TODAY TO COME OVER HERE. >> THE BUSINESSES AND CUSTOMERS WE TALK WITH POINT OUT. THEY ARE TOUGH, STRONG AND RESILIENT. THEY SAY THEY WOULDN'T STILL BE COUNTRY FOLKS IF THEY WORK. >> IT IS THE WAY LIFE. IT'S IMPORTANT TO TALK TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS. AND, YOU KNOW, THESE PEOPLE, YOU'VE DEALT WITH THEM FOR YEARS. SO WHEN YOU WALK IN, YOU SEE A FRIENDLY FACE, YOU KNOW THEIR NAME. YOU CAN HAVE THAT ONE-ON-ONE CONVERSATION AS THAT OF JUST. HITTING SEND OR BUY ON THE ON THE TABLET. IT TAKES ME BACK TO WHEN I WAS FIRST WORKING WITH MY FATHER OF BUYING A NEW PAIR OF BOOTS. IT. >> EVERY TIME I COME IN HERE MAKES ME FEEL LIKE A LITTLE KID AGAIN, THERE'S NO OTHER STATE THAT KIND OF HAS THIS WERE. YOU'RE RIGHT. IT'S A CITY. YOU'RE TO THE RULES. SO KEEPING THIS PLACE ALIVE, HIGHLIGHTS THE ROOM AND EVERYBODY LOOKED AT THE CITY. >> SO HERE'S TO THE OLD COUNTRY WAYS WITH A SMIDGEN OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES. SPRINKLE THEM. FOR WGCU NEWS BY MIKE WALCHER