City leaders to meet with group to tackle retail challenges

Published 1:52 am Monday, December 4, 2017

 

NATCHEZ — City officials Tuesday will tackle what Mayor Darryl Grennell called one of his biggest challenges: Attracting retailers to Natchez.

The mayor and Natchez Board of Aldermen are meeting with Walker Wright of NaviRetail, LLC, a Memphis-based consulting company that markets themselves as helping communities recruit retail opportunities. The company has not been hired by the city yet.

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The work session is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Council Chambers conference room.

“We are the hub for the greater Miss-Lou area,” Grennell said. “One of the challenges for me is to enhance this community by getting some retail growth here.”

Grennell said he met with Wright around the end of October, and the company is interested in helping the city.

“This group approached me … That’s what they do: They help cities like Natchez to enhance their retail growth,” Grennell said. “They want to do a work session with the board to see about possibly getting some retail growth for the city.”

Grennell said he hopes for opportunities that can spark an uptick in, for example, the restaurant and clothing industries.

“We’ll learn more about it at Tuesday’s meeting,” Grennell said.