EDC Resident Survey
We received 121 resident survey responses.  Thank you to everyone for taking time to complete the survey - the results will be very beneficial in guiding EDC efforts in the future.
EDC Resident Survey (October 2008)
A. Do you shop in the Town of Litchfield? (Why or why not?)
Total Resident Survey Responses = 121
120 Responses (Question A)
Yes
80
67%
No
17
14%
Sometimes/Occasionally/Rarely
23
19%
Why - Yes
Convenient
40
Specific Stores
23
     (i.e. True Value, Stop & Shop, Drug Stores)
Support Local Businesses/Live Here
21
Restaurants (not specific)
2
Why - No
Too expensive
21
Lack of selection/variety
9
Attitude of shop owners
3
The majority, 80 out of 120 (67%), indicated they shop in Litchfield.  Convenience (40 responses) was identified as the largest factor for shopping locally.  Survey respondents (23) also identified specific stores as a reason to shop locally.  Most frequently mentioned were Stop & Shop, True Value and the drug stores.  Survey respondents (21) also cited loyalty and a desire to support local businesses as a primary reason to shop in Litchfield.  Survey respondents answering no (17 - 14%) or sometimes (23 - 19%) indicated high prices (21) and a lack of selection/variety (9) as reasons why they don't shop in Litchfield.

B. What types of new businesses would you like to see in the Town of Litchfield?
116 Responses (Question B)
Book Store
36
Bed & Bath
1
Small Variety (5 & Dime)
17
Bike Path
1
Affordable Children/Family Clothing
16
Consulting
1
Shoe store (+ repairs)
13
Cosmetics
1
Gifts/Stationary
11
Food & Cheese
1
More Restaurants (ethnic)
11
Green energy
1
Coffee/Café
8
Hamburger Place
1
Affordable
5
House wares
1
Affordable natural foods (Trader Joe's)
5
Indoor skate park
1
Electronics/Media
4
Inn/Hotel
1
Ice Cream
4
Movies
1
Mom & Pop
4
No large commercial
1
Outdoor Recreational Rentals/Sales
4
No more real estate offices
1
Chinese Restaurant
3
Office Supply
1
Dress Shop (like Talbots)
3
Office Supply
1
Larger Grocery Store
3
Regional Banks
1
No more antique shops
3
Taxi Service
1
No more gas stations
3
Toy Store
1
Pub
3
Tutoring Center
1
Small Grocery Store
3
Young Clothing Shop
1
Tea Shop
3
Affordable Men's Clothing
2
Art/Craft Store
2
Deli/Bakery
2
Green/Light Manufacturing
2
Health Care
2
Health/Fitness
2
Sporting Goods
2
Wine bar
2
Since this was an open-ended question it yielded a variety of answers.  The desire for a book store in Litchfield was indicated by 36 survey respondents.  Survey respondents (17) also identified the desire for a small variety store similar to Woolworths, Tip Top or Leaders.  An affordable family clothing store including children's clothing was also frequently (16) suggested.  A shoe store offering repair service was identified by numerous (13) survey respondents as desirable.  A retail store offering gifts and stationary was suggested by 11 survey respondents.  Several survey respondents (11) indicated a desire for more ethnic variety in local restaurant choices.  

C. What business additions would help to broaden the tax base while
maintaining the town's character?
105 Responses (Question C)
Light ("Green") Industrial/Commercial
14
Affordable Rents
1
Book Store
12
Bike Trail
1
Tech/Data Proc/IT/Software
11
Business Park
1
Affordable Hotel/Inn
5
Car Rental
1
Food - Small, Local, Specialty
5
Clothing - Affordable
1
General Store (Mom & Pop)
5
Clothing - Children's
1
Health Care/Life Care
4
Dollar Store
1
Shoes
4
Dry Goods Store
1
Allow Expansion per Zoning
3
House wares
1
Art Galleries
3
Lumber Yard
1
Coffee
3
Medical Office
1
Improve Sidewalks/Roads
3
Museum
1
Recreational/Sports
3
No Heavy Industry
1
Retail - Small, Local
3
No more antique shops
1
Alternate Energy
2
No more real estate offices
1
Artisan Workshops
2
Over 55 Housing
1
Bakery
2
Retail Complex
1
Food - Larger Grocery Store
2
placeSandwich Shop
1
Ice Cream
2
Service
1
More Permissive/Tasteful Signage
2
Support Existing Businesses
1
Professional Offices
2
Winery
1
Women's Clothing
1
Since this was an open-ended question it yielded a variety of answers.  Light industrial/commercial ("green") development near Route 8 was recommended by 14 survey respondents.  The need for a book store was identified by 12 survey respondents.  Eleven (11) survey respondents suggested attracting computer/software/IT related businesses to Litchfield.

D.  What are your favorite businesses in the Town of Litchfield?
119 Responses (Question D)
Banks
Spirits
Litchfield Bancorp
4
Casa Baccus
7
First National Bank of Litchfield
3
Village Wine Cellar
5
Webster
2
Clothing
Bakery
Talbot's
16
Bantam Bread
19
Derwin's
11
Dutch Epicure
12
Workshop
7
Dunkin Donuts
6
Village Dry Cleaners
6
Hayseed
4
Food/Drink Related
Merritt Clark
3
Stop & Shop
26
Accents
2
Common Ground
13
Emily Clare's
2
Litchfield Market
9
Connie's Tailoring
1
Big Value
7
Litchfield Candy Shop
5
Drug Stores
Chocolatier
3
Murphy's
14
Peaches & Cream
3
CVS
12
Tilden Seafood
3
Rite Aid
7
Farmer's Market
2
Bunnell's Farm Stand
1
Health/Fitness
Farm Stand (near NAPA)
1
Litchfield Athletic Club
4
Litchfield Catering & Deli
1
Spa at Litchfield Hills
3
Karen Blakeslee Massage
1
Restaurants
Village
46
Bosson's Optical
5
DiFranco's
12
Dr. Fabbri
1
West Street Grill
8
Food Shop
7
Hair Style/Salon
Patty's
7
Custom Barber
2
Blue Bar
6
Craig's
1
D'Amico's
6
Bohemian Pizza
5
Gift Shops
Aspen Garden
4
Floral & Fauna
3
Senor Pancho's
4
Mission Gift Shop
1
Bantam Pizza
3
Saltwater Grille
3
Antiques/Furniture/Galleries
Cinema Café
2
Ella's Limited
1
DaCapo
2
Francine Taylor
1
Litchfield Pizza
2
Papineau
1
Toll Gate Hill Restaurant
2
PS Gallery
1
Wood's Pit
2
Tillou
1
Zini's
2
LaCupola
1
Ming's
1
Restaurants (in general)
12

Garden/Flowers
Retail - Other
Litchfield Hills Nursery
12
True Value
21
CT Cut Flowers
3
Kitchen Works
16
Floral & Fauna
3
The Business Center
14
Colonial Greenhouse
1
Mother Goose Toy Store
11
Flowers of Distinction
1
Sportsmen's
11
Von Englen Bulbs
1
Litchfield Paint & Wallpaper
4
Rachel's Consignment
4
Entertainment
Pet Supply
3
Bantam Cinema
4
Agway - Blue Seal
2
Blockbuster
2
Fabric Studio
2
Phoenix Records
2
Automotive/Fuel
Craig's
1
Bantam Fuel
2
EJ Murphy Realty
1
Quiet Zone
2
Laundromat
1
Bantam Shell
1
Litchfield County Vacuum
1
Irving Gas
1
Litchfield Ford
1
Other
NAPA
1
OW Library
2
Sunshine Car Repair
1
Post Office
2
White Memorial
1
Since this was an open-ended question it yielded a variety of answers.  The Village Restaurant was identified by 46 survey respondents as their "favorite business in the Town of Litchfield" followed by Stop & Shop (26), True Value (21), Bantam Bread (19), Kitchen Works (16), Talbot's (16), Murphy's Pharmacy (14), The Business Center (14), Common Ground Internet Cafe (13), CVS (12), DiFranco's Restaurant (12), Dutch Epicure (12), Litchfield Hills Nursery (12), Derwin's (11), Mother Goose Toy Store (11), and Sportsmen's of Litchfield (11).