Retail Mix Management on Philadelphia’s Commercial Corridors and Implications for Neighborhood Change

Theories on commercial corridor revitalization recognize retail mix management as an important responsibility for corridor managers. This tool has been emphasized as a capacity for successful corridor management and, in more recent years, highlighted for its significant impact on the interaction between the corridor and local community members. This study uses a qualitative analysis of interviews conducted with Philadelphia corridor stakeholders and management representatives from city corridors to examine the extent to which corridor managers are limited in their ability to manage retail mix and to better understand how efficacy can be increased to improve the outcomes of neighborhood change. In my findings, I discuss how Philadelphia’s corridor managers are inhibited to varying degrees in creating and sustaining an adequate retail mix, even as they recognize the importance of the practice. The analysis results in a conclusion that potential solutions are available to increase the impact of retail mix management for the benefit of the community. A comparative tool is presented to triangulate the expected impact of retail mix management limitations and the accessibility of solutions by both management type and stage of development.M.S., Urban Strategy -- Drexel University, 201