New marketing opportunity open to Cañon City retailers and restaurants

In 2020, the City of Cañon City purchased a powerful new marketing tool from customer analytics giant Buxton. The tool is called SCOUT. SCOUT provides access to household-level data to help businesses target core customers.

City of Cañon City’s economic development manager Rick Harrmann is using SCOUT to attract new businesses that fit our community. However, the same analytics can be used to help our local businesses expand their market through digital advertising.

Who it’s for

Buxton’s analytics rely on mobile phone and credit card data to build customer profiles. That makes retail and restaurants with physical brick and mortar locations the best fit for this program. However, we have general trade area data for Cañon City that may help you dial in your business model.

How it works

Buxton and city representatives will sit down with you to talk about your goals for a marketing campaign – you may want to highlight a specific sale, increase awareness of your business, or drive past customers back to your store. Using SCOUT, we will take a deep dive into who your customers are – who they are, how they communicate, and what their buying habits are. Next, you will bring the wording and the images you want to use in your advertising. Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, we have some materials that can help get you started, and we’re happy to help provide some ideas. Buxton will take your copy and images and place your ads where you want them – Facebook, Instagram, banner ads, or emails. The minimum ad buy is $750, but you can work together with up to four businesses to split that cost. That brings your minimum advertising buy to $150.

• Digital Marketing How-To Guide

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Interested? Have questions? Reach out to the city’s economic development team at rlharrmann@canoncity.org or tzdixon@canoncity.org. 

Fremont Provisions unveils new awning

Fremont Provisions revealed a new facelift for the Annex Building at 507 Main Street. The classic black- and white-striped awning adds a great look downtown. The new in-house dining and catering venue plans to purchase products from local farmers and artisans when it opens later this year.

Though Fremont Provisions did not use a Façade Grant to add uplighting or upgrade the awning on its building, the new façade offers an opportunity to remind business and building owners downtown about this grant.

The Building Façade Improvement Grant program offers a matching grant of up to $2,000 to help a business owner or property owner improve the street-facing exterior of a building in the city’s historic downtown district. Cañon City Council created the program in fall 2019. About $20,000 is set aside for building facelifts. Some of the exterior upgrade improvements eligible under the grant program including paint, gutters, awnings, display window lighting, exterior lighting, and permanent bike racks.

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Want to learn more? Email City of Cañon City Small Business Manager Tom Dixon at tzdixon@canoncity.org.

New preservation program to help revitalize historic properties 

A new historic preservation program has unleashed high demand to list a number of local buildings and open access to federal funding and tax credit opportunities in Cañon City.

The Certified Local Government designation allows the city’s Historic Preservation Commission to list historic properties as local landmarks. The first two projects seeking that designation are the Fremont County National Bank and St. Scholastica. The designation unlocks new funding options for both projects.

The Fremont County National Bank is one of the oldest financial institutions in Colorado, and will be the future headquarters of Tezak Heavy Construction. The St. Scholastica site has been part of the Cañon City community for more than a century. That project will blend commercial and residential space and help rejuvenate a neighborhood in the original part of the city.

The Historic Preservation Commission will consider the St. Scholastica’s application to become a locally-designated historic building and site. on Jan. 27. If they recommend the building and site, it will go to two readings before the City Council for final approval. City Council will consider both St. Scholastica and Fremont County National Bank applications during its February meetings.

“Cañon City has many historical resources,” said Lisa Studts, director of the Royal Gorge Regional Museum & History Center. “I can’t wait to see some of these resources formally acknowledged for their contribution to the history of this community.” Historic buildings preserve Cañon City’s character and culture. The reuse and adaption of those buildings is also a cost-effective way to encourage new development, diversify city revenues and rejuvenate the community.

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Are you looking to renovate a historic property? The economic development team would love to talk about available grants and tax credits. Email tzdixon@canoncity.org or rlharrmann@canoncity.org.