Downtown Hollister had more businesses open in 2013 than those that closed shop, according to numbers provided by the Hollister Downtown Association.
As part of the California Main Street program – of which the HDA has taken part since 1987 – the local organization submitted data showing a positive uptick for new businesses in downtown during the prior year.
The HDA reported 14 new business starts, five business expansion projects and nine closures – with a net gain of 10 businesses, according to the data. The report also indicated a correlating bump in jobs, with 42 jobs created through new businesses, 17 jobs created through expansion projects and 22 jobs lost – for a net gain of 37 jobs.
“I think we continue to recover from the economic downturn,” HDA Executive Director Brenda Weatherly said.
The downtown district tends to have its fair share of business turnover, but organizations like the HDA try to keep more businesses coming in than leaving. As for the types of new businesses, Weatherly said they “tend to be service-type businesses.”
HDA officials provided the data as part of the group’s accreditation with the California Main Street Alliance, with 23 of 27 local programs accredited for this past year, according to a letter from the alliance. The Main Street Alliance sets an annual “reinvestment ratio” goal for the programs – which was $27.67 for 2013.
Hollister, it turns out, had an extraordinarily inflated reinvestment ratio – $542.77 – due to the public sector investment of more than $30 million for the new San Benito County Courthouse.
