The Splash
AUGUST 2013 • 11
COVER STORY
COMMUTER STUDY FINDINGS An Eastern Washington University class surveyed 148 of the estimated 6,500 commuters who work in Liberty Lake. Among their findings: WHERE ARE THEY COMING FROM? As expected, most commuters live in Spokane Valley or Spokane, but some come from as far away as Reardan or Athol, Idaho. WHERE DO THEY GO AFTER WORK? A whopping 112 of 148 commuters (75.7 percent) responded they are most likely to “go straight home” after work, with 14.2 percent responding “run errands.” The eight remaining responses were split between “recreational activities,” “shop” and a single respondent replying “dine out.” The study noted that while this question reflected a typical day, more research was required into what employees may occasionally do following their work day. SPLASH PHOTO BY CRAIG HOWARD
A study by Eastern Washington University business students found that most commuters to and from Liberty Lake do not linger in town to shop, dine or recreate after work. The San Francisco Sourdough Eatery on Appleway Avenue in the Heartland Mall at Liberty Lake is one local restaurant that is doing its part to generate business beyond lunch. Above, restaurant employee Elizabeth Aalderink (right) jots down a dinnertime order for a customer.
Employee exodus Study finds commuters flee LL soon after work By Craig Howard
SPLASH CONTRIBUTOR
First, there was “Skedaddle to Seattle.” Now comes, “Make a break from Liberty Lake.” While Spokane County’s easternmost city might be known as a regional destination for everything from golf courses to a world-class trail system, commuters to the city are not tarrying long after the 5 p.m. whistle sounds — at least not according to a recent study by business students at Eastern Washington University. At the June 4 City Council meeting, representatives from EWU’s Business Capstone program presented findings from a study that analyzed consumer habits of out-of-town workers commuting regularly to Liberty Lake. The research is part of retail incubator project being proposed by EWU.
A pilot study by students first examined the feasibility of an incubator program and was followed by a market study that explored consumer preferences through a survey of Liberty Lake citizens. Then, something called a “gap and leakage analysis” forecasted demand for local businesses by drawing parallels to a city in Western Washington with similar demographics. When it came to the topic of commuters, the study found that roughly 6,500 out-of-town workers travel in and out of Liberty Lake each day. The survey — consisting of an online questionnaire — was designed to determine consumer routines and preferences in areas like retail, dining and recreational activities. Students went to local businesses for permission to survey their employees — the questionnaire itself generally took between five to 10 minutes to complete. Many of Liberty Lake’s largest employers checked off to participate in the project, including Altek, Itron, Liberty Lake Portal, Center Partners, Meadowwood Technology Campus and Huntwood Custom Cabinets. The study found that the vast majority of commuters to Liberty Lake hail from nearby locales like Spokane, Spokane Valley and parts of North Idaho. Males comprised nearly 70 percent of respondents
in the survey. While those who facilitated the survey acknowledged that the data may fall short of an adequate representation (a total of 148 commuters completed the inquiry) and additional research needs to be done, the feedback indicated that the majority of commuters are more likely to go straight home after work. While commuters do opt to shop at fast food, convenience stores and grocery stores while in town on a typical work day, the consensus from the research is the city is lacking a sufficient number of family-friendly or sit-down restaurants that are affordable and provide a setting for conversation. Some dining establishments are well aware of the trends pointed out in the survey and have been trying to do their part to change things. “It’s our biggest challenge — to get customers in here after 4 p.m.,” said Chareese Youngdell, co-owner of the San Francisco Sourdough Eatery on Appleway Avenue in the Heartland Mall at Liberty Lake. Chareese and her husband, Randy, took over the restaurant from the previous owners earlier this year. One of the first specials offered at the business was a 20 percent discount for those who brought
See COMMUTERS, page 12
WHERE ARE THEY CURRENTLY EATING? When commuters do go out to look for food and drink, they are heading to the grocery stores (60.1 percent said “currently shop”), fast food (56.8 percent) and convenience stores (49.3 percent). These options far outpaced family/sit down restaurants (20.9 percent), although that category led the way among those who answered “would if existed,” as 19.6 percent indicated this. WHERE DO THEY WANT TO EAT? The commuters were asked what they were looking for in a restaurant, and “place to talk” and “affordable” far outclassed other preferences or niche categories such as “family dining,” “fine dining” and “sports bars.” WHAT SHOPS OR SERVICES ARE LACKING? The study asked about several types of businesses that could be attracted to Liberty Lake and how commuters would feel about patronizing those businesses. In the category of “would shop if existed,” the following categories received the most responses: 1. Sporting goods (28.4 percent) 2. Electronics (23.0 percent) 3. Boutiques (15.5 percent) 4. Automotive (13.5 percent) 5. Barber shops (6.1 percent)