Casual, upscale dining garnered the highest consistent interest among four categories of respondents to the Rahway Survey. Opinions were more varied among other retail choices.
Of the 614 surveys completed, 73 percent of respondents live in Rahway. Respondents were presented with a series of pre-qualified retail categories and asked if that would make them more likely to visit Rahway.
Responses were compared from those who live here to those who live elsewhere, and also from people who have lived in Rahway for less than five years and those who are considering moving here. The report compared selected survey responses from residents against the same responses from non-residents. “The importance of understanding these differences is in the information’s ability to help us attract non-residents to move here,” according to the report, compiled by Community Insights.
Residents and non-residents were similar in favoring casual upscale dining and fine dining, but residents were much more likely to look for a grocery store, women’s clothing, men’s clothing, children’s clothing, and toys, games and hobbies.
“Potential residents place a greater emphasis on the arts and entertainment while newer residents have a stronger desire for good public schools, children’s and family clothing,” the report said. “Potential residents appear to be seeking a lifestyle while newer residents appear to be looking for a home to start and raise their families.”
Potential and new residents both expressed high levels of interest in downtown living, but less than 10 percent of residents were interested in purchasing a home downtown. Potential residents are less likely to to live in New York City and more likely to live in Union or Middlesex counties. [CORRECTION TO ORIGINAL POST IN ITALICS.]
The survey results by comparison (resident v. non-resident, potential v. newer) are viewable in a Google spreadsheet here (Categories in which responses differed by at least 10 percent are highlighted in bold italics). There is a margin of error of 4 percent.
Previous Rahway Survey posts:
Rahway Survey results are in
Nice to finally see the results of that survey.If I am reading the results correctly, interest in a grocery store downtown is lowest among general non-residents (47%) but higher for the subset of non-residents who are “potential” residents (60% of whom would like to see a grocery store downtown).And while there is a high level of interest in a grocery store among all residents (70%), it’s even higher in the subset of “new residents” (755).Seems that Rahway’s newest residents (and potential future residents) are the biggest proponent of the grocery store concept.I don’t want to see a ShopRite or Pathmark downtown, but I’ll hold out for a Trader Joe’s or something similar.
If a marketing firm did a survey of Rahway, how would their portrait of a typical resident turn out? Westfield might be labeled “Crunchy Overachievers” since a typical couple has a husband in NYC finance, a wife who “manages a small gallery” after leaving the rat race to look after twins Connor and Cameron. They have plenty of money for European vacations and in-vitro treatments. Starbucks would view this town as a gold mine. Similarly parts of Woodbridge might get labeled “Blue Collar Dreamers” where a laid-off roofer shares a 3 BR 1 BA ranch with a part-time secretary, their two kids, and her kid from a previous relationship. They have plenty of money for Miller Lite and they would be current on their Dodge Durango payments if her ex was better with his child support. A rent-a-center or check cashing store would be more likely to open up here.All kidding aside, before wishing for Nepalese restaurants, Trader Joe’s, and day spas to appear downtown, consider that RR readers most likely represent a different socioeconomic layer than typical Rahway residents. Downtown could thrive when businesses geared toward typical residents move in and set up shop, which leads back to the original question: who is the target audience?
NCR – I agree (and was amused by) what you wrote, with the exception of putting Trader Joe’s in the same category as fancy Nepalese restaurants. TJ’s is good food / wine at reasonable prices (I’ve found many items are cheaper at TJ’s than at ShopRite). It’s just cooler than a regular supermarket.Rahway’s typical resident might not be the same mix as Rahway’s target audience for downtown businesses (we all know how the Cruncy Overachievers like to “slum it” and visit gritty urban eateries/coffeeshops, so maybe Rahway would get some visitors from Westfield), but it’s an interesting question about what the profile of either of these two groups might be.