Through revitalization, many downtown areas across the US are seeking to become shopping destinations by creating consumption spaces that are distinct from those in the suburbs. It is possible that the role of place and the bonds that people form with places are key factors involved in achieving the success of distinct consumption spaces. The purpose of this study was to understand the role of attachment to place within the dynamic that exists between local retail store ownership and downtown revitalization. An ethnographic approach to research was employed. Findings of this study highlight the importance of place attachment not just among participants as owners of small retail stores, but for the entire downtown as a community of retailers operating within an area that is being revitalized
