Committee to conduct Simi shopping survey
By Eliav Appelbaum Special to the Acorn

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers WHAT WE WANT- Masako Eubanks of Simi Valley looks at the racks of dresses from Kariza in the Simi Valley Town Center and contemplates buying one for her daughter, Mackenzie, 11, at right.

Business leaders want to learn more about the buying habits of Simi Valley residents.

They may get answers soon.

A survey of local residents, sponsored by the Small Business Advisory Committee (SBAC), will be conducted in coming weeks.

Results of the survey are meant to help focus the committee's "Shop Simi Valley First" campaign on ways to get residents to spend money in Simi instead of outside city limits.

At the Aug. 16 SBAC meeting at city hall, consultant Alex Couchman, owner of Industrial Strength Advertising in Calabasas, gave members a detailed outline of the survey.

Consumer responses should help local businesses cater to consumers more effectively, he said.

"We're running a marathon, not a sprint," said Brian Gabler, assistant city manager and director of economic development. "We want to learn how to best work with our residents so they can shop locally."

The significance of buying locally cannot be overestimated, Gabler said.

The city receives $13.7 million in local sales tax per year. One percent of the sales tax on purchases made within the city's boundaries goes directly to city projects.

Sales tax is a very significant source of revenue for Simi Valley, comprising 26 percent of the city's general fund. These revenues go to the police department, road work and other essential public services.

The formation of the SBAC in August 2004 preceded the opening of Simi Valley Town Center mall the following year.

"The mall came at a perfect time for us," said Councilmember Steven Sojka, who's also the SBAC chair. "Now Simi Valley residents have most of the goods and services available to shop locally. Before, even if you wanted to shop locally, you'd have to go outside the city to buy a men's suit or a big-screen TV at Best Buy.

"The ultimate goal is to not only help businesses, but inform residents that shopping locally turns into money for more police officers, better streets and roads, and better parks," Sojka continued.

In a competitive bid among several vendors, Couchman selected Davis Research LLC of Calabasas, an experienced public research firm, to conduct a survey of 250 Simi Valley residents beginning in mid-September.

Results will be released about six weeks after the completion of the survey, according to Gabler.

During Thursday's meeting SBAC members- including Sojka and Councilmember Michelle Foster, business leaders and Couchman- discussed possible survey questions. The survey will include questions on the Shop Simi Valley First campaign, consumer habits and automobile dealerships.

Couchman tried to ease the committee's concerns, especially those of Larry Hibbler of Simi Valley Ford and Darrell Coletto of First Nissan and First Honda, over the wording of certain questions.

"This is a very objective planning process; it's not subjective at all," Couchman said during the meeting. "Trying to do the survey, if we want to get the information we want, we have to word the questions in a way that they are not too open-ended. This isn't a definitive list; this is a starting point."

Survey questions will be finalized during the next few weeks.

Committee members noted some recent positive results of the Shop Simi Valley First campaign. George Holmes of Holmes Custom Picture Framing said the Shop Simi Valley First website brought him two new customers last week.

"Some businesses are getting a lot of business; some businesses are getting mixed results," Gabler said. "This was a great (meeting). We need to refine the questions and ask them the right way to get the responses we're looking for."

Local businesses involved in Shop Simi Valley First are listed online, with many companies offering discounts for purchasing directly on the website or by mentioning the online coupon at the store.

The next meeting of SBAC will be 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27 in the city manager's conference room at city hall.

The group hopes the survey will be nearly complete by then, although results may not be available until January 2008.

The committee had hoped the task would be completed by the 2007 holiday shopping season, but Gabler stressed that the long-term success of the project was more important than rushing to judgment.

For more information, go to www.shopsimivalleyfirst.com.