Retail Alliance Receives $100,000 Grant to Pilot Technical Assistance Program in Phoebus, Hampton

Retail Alliance has been awarded a $100,000 Virginia Business District Resurgence Grant from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) of Virginia. 

The Retail Merchants Association of the Tidewater dba Retail Alliance has been awarded the grant to implement a pilot retail technical assistance program for existing retailers in Phoebus’ commercial district. This project will partner with Downtown Phoebus Partnership, an initiative led by Hampton Economic Development, and will incorporate individual business assessments and mini-implementation grants of $3,000-$5,000 awarded to five businesses, along with three educational workshops made available to all businesses within the commercial district. 

“Retail Alliance has been serving, supporting, and training retailers in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia for 120 years,” Jennifer Crittenden, President/CEO of Retail Alliance said. “It has been identified within our strategic planning process a growing need for retail technical assistance that could be deployed in a downtown or neighborhood setting. This grant provides us an opportunity to pilot this program with the intent of being able to replicate it in other communities.” 

Jennifer Crittenden and Kylie Ross Sibert from Retail Alliance will work closely with Dominique DeBose from Hampton Economic Development and Downtown Phoebus Partnership, along with an expert technical team including Paige Pollard and Katie Yester from Commonwealth Preservation Group, Stephanie Heinatz from Consociate Media, Sara Harris from Sara Harris Photography, Bill Holloran and Jolie Spiers from SBDC Hampton Roads, and Angela Knight from Angela Knight Consulting. 

The project will analyze the customer experience of each business from the multi-channel/omnichannel perspective and provide key recommendations to the owners. The goal of the recommendations is to develop a seamless customer experience that blends at all touch points. The project will commence in October 2023 and run through October 2024. 

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ABOUT RETAIL ALLIANCE 

At Retail Alliance, we unite with retailpreneurs for a thriving retail community through professional development, collaboration, innovation, a collective voice, and shared values, shaping the future of retail together. We are celebrating our 120th anniversary in 2023. Retail Alliance champions for the retail industry and serves as the primary non-profit retail trade association in Hampton Roads. www.retailalliance.com