Downtown Lenoir Place Branding and Marketing

PLACE BRANDING

PORTFOLIO

DOWNTOWN LENOIR PLACE BRANDING AND MARKETING DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO

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COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS

THE ARTS & MUSIC SCULPTURE. Lenoir has one of the largest collections of sculpture per capita of any town in the Eastern US, which reflects its rich tradition of manufacturing.

A SUPPORTIVE & ACTIVE ARTS COMMUNITY. Embodied by the Arts Council and numerous local artists such as Charlie Frye, downtown Lenoir has strong and active support for the arts.

MUSIC. Rhythm is ingrained into the social fabric of our downtown.

From the early days of Lenoir, music formed a large part of community life and culture. Some of the roots of Americana & bluegrass can be traced back to Lenoir, when the Hog Waller market downtown was a hub for these mountain sounds, and several influential musicians began their careers performing in and around the area.

THE BRANDING PROCESS INVOLVES FINDING THE ONE THING THAT DIFFERENTIATES YOU FROM EVERYONE ELSE IN YOUR MARKETPLACE. If your message can fit anyone else, you should toss it. In an effort to understand Lenoir’s market and how its brand might compare, the following downtown brands were identified. In terms of a new tagline and Lenoir’s distinctive qualities, attention must be given to what sets Lenoir apart from these competitors: •

MORGANTON “Simply Charming” (a place for entertainment)

•

HICKORY “Life. Well Crafted.” & “Let’s Go Downtown” (history of craftsmanship, and community)

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BOONE & BLOWING ROCK (your mountain getaway)

•

MT. AIRY “A true Southern town with all the charm of Mayberry”

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DILLSBORO“Yesterday’s village, today” (historic vacation town)

FURNITURE & MANUFACTURING HISTORY

LENOIR DISCOVERY & ANALYSIS REPORT

FURNITURE. Our creative community and historic downtown was built by the hard work of men and women in furniture manufacturing.

This is the backbone of Lenoir’s story and is tied to the heart of the city. We should embrace this unique heritage–the good and the bad–as a distinct part of our identity.

A CREATIVE CULTURE OF CRAFTSMANSHIP AND THE ARTS. Lenoir’s prosperous past as a manufacturing hub gave rise to its culture of craftsmanship and patronage of the arts. This culture is exemplified today by Lenoir’s vibrant art scene, craft breweries, and enterprising small businesses.

TARGET MARKET/ AUDIENCE RESEARCH

ENTREPRENEURISM

LENOIR’S BRAND WILL LEVERAGE THESE UNIQUE COMMUNITY ASSETS

CULTURE OF INNOVATION. Lenoir was home to some of manufacturing’s entrepreneurial legends. Our past as an innovative manufacturing hub put us on the map. Generation after generation has carried on the creativity to dream up one-of-a-kind projects and the resiliency to put these dreams into action. This spirit is what drives us today to continue revitalizing our town and our community for the future.

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL VACANCY. Like a blank canvas, downtown’s current inventory of vacant commercial property and potential for second-story residential units provides an enormous opportunity for the recruitment of Millennials, entrepreneurs, and businesses looking for an inviting, artistic environment near the mountains.

BIG DATA & NEW INFLUX OF INDUSTRY. The arrival of Google, pharmaceuticals, and the expansion of the “NC data corridor” in our region makes Lenoir an ideal location for an entrepreneurial boom.

Lenoir should utilize the new brand to seize this opportunity.

THE FOLLOWING THREE AUDIENCES WERE IDENTIFIED

LOCALS. A city’s residents should be its best champions. Consider engaging the locals as a necessary first step in the revitalization of downtown.

Before Lenoir can develop as an attractive destination for outsiders, it must reach a consistent level of vibrancy and patronage from its own residents.

The new brand must re-establish local pride in downtown.

ENTREPRENEURS & INVESTORS. Lenoir is well-positioned to attract Millennials and young professionals interested in a charming place to visit or live, as well as entrepreneurs and business owners who are looking for a small-town, creative environment. Potential investors also include local residents who are unaware of all that downtown has to offer, retirees who are relocating or have relocated to the region, and property owners and developers.

321 TRAFFIC/CLT-BLOWING ROCK TOURISTS. A significant traffic flow passes through Lenoir’s 321 corridor daily, many of which are vacationers or weekenders heading to stay at second homes and vacation rentals in the High Country. This is a key target audience if they can be made aware of Lenoir’s downtown and persuaded to visit on their way through, or as a side-trip when staying in the mountains. Unlike many competing towns, the main road does not take you through downtown. Therefore, an effort must be made to grab the attention of this traffic and direct them to the downtown district.

COMMUNITY SPIRIT THE ARTS

FURNITURE & MANUFACTURING HISTORY

ENTREPRENEURISM

COMMUNITY SPIRIT

A GATHERING PLACE. From the Hog Waller days to the furniture boom, downtown has always been a gathering place for Lenoir’s community. Visitors and active retirees are drawn in by the easy, welcoming atmosphere, where everyone still knows your name. So much so, that Lenior has recently been designated as RetireNC Community.

FESTIVALS & EVENTS. The place where it all happens. Downtown is known as the center of activity with frequent and popular events throughout the year, some of which draw a national audience.

FOOD & SPIRITS. The eateries and breweries of downtown represent Lenoir’s cultural epicenter. The organic, growing community of locals that gather to enjoy downtown’s food and spirits should be leveraged a significant asset for the future of Lenoir.

815 W King St, Boone, NC 28607 | (828) 386-1866 | www.DbDplanning.com

815 W King St, Boone, NC 28607 | (828) 386-1866 | www.DbDplanning.com

815 W King St, Boone, NC 28607 | (828) 386-1866 | www.DbDplanning.com

RE SEARCH ANALYSIS REPORT

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DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO

STORY BRANDING

DOWNTOWN LENOIR BRAND PLATFORM

By telling the stories of entrepreneurs and innovators who embody downtown’s spirit of creativity and entrepreneurship, this campaign aims to attract a target audience of like-minded people with goals of opening a business or investing downtown.

The stories will help strengthen Downtown Lenoir’s new identity as not only a manufacturing hub, but a growing intersection of industries and innovation. The stories will also shape local residents’ perception of downtown as a place-on-the-move, where forward-thinking, creative locals are making great things happen.

POTENTIAL FEATURE STORIES: • Charlie Frye – resident artist

YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO

• Luna Bikes – creative entrepreneurship & manufacturing

LOOK FORWARD TO

• Vickie Setzer – creative entertainment business owner • Nell & Bill Carr – active retirees volunteers • The Sturgiss Family – spirited community members

A friendly WNC town of makers and innovators.

THEME IDENTIFICATION

POSITIONING SUMMARY •

Downtown Lenoir’s greatest opportunity for differentiation is its cultural heritage of craftsmanship, innovation, and the arts, which is grounded in its history as an industry leader in furniture making and other manufacturing.

•

Downtown should be positioned as a small-town Innovation & Revitalization District

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The DLDA should be known as a “Catalyst for its Revitalization”

OBJECTIVE The downtown brand should be a platform for communicating about the progress of revitalization and the “reclaiming of our historic culture of community and artisanship.”

ESSENCE

GOALS 1. Improve local/regional perception of downtown 2. Recruit businesses, creative entrepreneurs, and investor support

A friendly WNC Downtown of makers

• Downtown’s innovative, yet unpretentious culture can be experienced through our numerous festivals, live music, craft breweries, and local art.

• Part of our unique aesthetic is the original Hog Waller vibe, where everyone knows your name.

• Currently undergoing transformation, Lenoir’s friendly environment is ripe for creatives, entrepreneurs, and investors interested in helping reclaim the past, while re-envisioning downtown’s future.

This can be seen through its small-business manufacturing, local artisans, plentiful sculptures, and craft breweries. The environment is ripe for investors and creatives wanting to join a movement to reclaim the history and reinvent the future of downtown Lenoir.

THE GATHERING PLACE

POSITIONING STATEMENT

• Our rich history as a world-class furniture and manufacturing hub gave us our hard-working ethic in craftsmanship and the arts.

From the decline of furniture, to the outgrowth of strip malls, and then the Great Recession, downtown has been forced to continuously reinvent. Now, thanks in part to the influx of Google and new manufacturing, Lenoir’s historic, homegrown, hard-working culture of craftsmanship and innovation is gaining momentum and inspiring a new class of entrepreneurs, tech-savvy millennials, and active retirees looking for an upbeat, small-town community to call home.

and innovators.

3. Encourage High Country tourists/321 traffic to visit downtown

OUR PROMISE

RE-INVENTION

Our historic roots as the furniture capital of the world gives rise to our authentic heritage of craftsmanship, innovation, and the arts. Now home to two craft breweries, a distillery, local eateries, entrepreneurs, and artists, our downtown supports a thriving scene of small-town innovators who are hard-atwork reclaiming our history and creating the future of Downtown Lenoir.

From Lenoir’s early Hog Waller days, to its booming furniture era, downtown has always been the epicenter of culture and commerce for the community--a gathering place to enjoy the local flavor. This traditional culture of downtown community is undergoing a renaissance of local art, eateries, and music in a place where everybody still knows your name.

A CULTURE OF INNOVATION & CRAFTSMANSHIP Lenoir’s rich history of furniture and manufacturing gave rise to our culture of craftsmanship, innovation, and the arts. We are a maker culture. Always have been, always will be. Whether it’s art & sculpture, craft beer & spirits, a unique festival, or an innovative business, downtown is your canvas. Come create with us.

815 W King St, Boone, NC 28607 | (828) 386-1866 | www.DbDplanning.com

815 W King St, Boone, NC 28607 | (828) 386-1866 | www.DbDplanning.com

STRATEGIC BRAND PLATFORM

DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO

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BRAND IDENTITY: PRIMARY 4

DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO

BRAND IDENTITY: ALTERNATE DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO

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A25334

F37021

FAA21B

FONTS

Brandon Grotesque (Bold) Brandon Grotesque (Regular)

Line weight = .75 pt DOWNTOWN LENOIR DOWNTOWN LENOIR

LOGO COLORS

EXTENDED COLOR PALETTE

CMYK: 43 / 81 / 100 / 0

PMS 1685C CMYK: 35 / 88 / 77 / 45 RGB: 110 / 42 / 40 6E2A28

CMYK: 85 / 34 / 40 / 6 RGB: 18 / 128 / 140 12808C

CMYK: 18 / 93 / 71 / 6 RGB: 194 / 53 / 71 C23547

CMYK: 0 / 70 / 100 / 0

CMYK: 0 / 42 / 100 / 0

PMS 158C

PMS 7409C

CMYK: 72 / 15/ 25 / 0 RGB: 55/ 167/ 185 37A7B9

PMS 1685C CMYK: 43 / 81 / 100 / 0 RGB: 162 / 83 / 53 A25334

CMYK: 22/ 15 / 85 / 9 RGB: 73 / 188 / 70 BCB446

STYLE GUIDE

STYLE GUIDE

CMYK: 0 / 42 / 100 / 0 RGB: 250 / 162 / 27 FAA21B

PMS 158C CMYK: 0 / 70 / 100 / 0 RGB: 243 / 112 / 33 F37021

PMS 7409C CMYK: 0 / 42 / 100 / 0 RGB: 250 / 162 / 27 FAA21B

FONTS

Brandon Grotesque (Bold) Brandon Grotesque (Regular)

BRAND IDENTITY: FONTS & COLOR GUIDE 6

DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO Line weight = .75 pt

CITY OF LENOIR | PO BOX 0000 | LENOIR, NC 28000

K AY LY N N S. H O R N ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MAIN STREET DIRECTOR

M 8 2 8 7 5 0 2 8 70 O 8 2 8 7 57 4 49 0 kho r n@l e no i r - nc . g o v c i t y o fl e no i r. c o m w w w.Do w nt o w nL e no i rN C . c o m CIT Y OF LE NOIR | 80 1 WE ST AVE . NW | LE NOIR, NC 2 86 4 5

CITY OF LENOIR | PO BOX 0000 | LENOIR, NC 28000

PROSPERITY. GOOD TIMES. INSPIRATION. UNIQUE SPACES. OPPORTUNITY. COMMUNITY. VITALITY.

KAYLYNN S. HORN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MAIN STREET DIRECTOR

M 82 8 750 2 870 O 82 8 757 4 490 kh orn@le noi r- nc.gov ci tyofle noi r.com www.DowntownL e noi rNC.com CI T Y OF LENOI R | 8 01 WEST AV E. NW | LENOI R , NC 28 64 5

STATIONARY & BUSINESS CARDS DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO

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PARKING MAP

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Annual events have different street closures and some parking lots may be unavailable.

Check www.DowntownLenoirNC.com for event-specific parking maps and traffic patterns.

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RACK CARD 8

DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO

artistic connections The

best part about the restaurant is watching people come in the door,

and as they find their tables, they stop and say hello to

Living

and working downtown is a dream come true. As folk artists, we love

friends along the way. Even when I was little, Downtown

to work with locally-sourced materials and create art that

has always been the place for me. We look after one

is relevant to this area. We love making Lenoir a creative

another here. And we have fun doing it!

and artful place to live.

VIGNETTE ADS

DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO

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We

love being part of downtown.

Volunteering is simply our way of giving back to this great place.

We

are a community of makers, and we are creating a great place.

VIGNETTE ADS

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DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO

BILLBOARD MOCK-UPS

DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO

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1

18

7

KIRKWOOD AVE

23

RETAIL

2 13 14

5

1

2

ASHE AVENUE

ASHE AVENUE

20 53

19 14 16 6

44

6 10

50

18 17

WEST AVENUE 3

2

4

10

45 32

HARPER AVENUE

ONE WAY

COLLEGE AVENUE

2

21

12 56

COLLEGE AVENUE 17

11

3

9

RECTORY HILL PLACE

REFORM STREET

9

15 19

ONE WAY

27

STR EET

49

CITY OF LENOIR FIRE DEPAREMENT

NO RW OO D

23

MULB ERRY STREET

8

6 31 9 29 5 4

HARPER AVENUE 9

MAIN STREET

24

CHURCH STREET

6

35

47 42

8

34 10 7 37

1

“ACROSS THE GRAIN” SCLUPTURE

BOUNDARY STREET

21

7 11 7 40 46 51 57 39 36 16 5 11 22

7

EET

6

23

24 1

55

STR

9

20 13

4 1 12 5 13 48

11

GE

8

3

10

1 4

38

RID

14

52

17

11 19 13

LENOIR CITY HALL

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2

PUBS & EATERIES 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

Ann's Hardware Anything Office Carla Eve Photography Studio Charles Babbs Jewelry Design Studio Chix w/ Stix Folk Keeper Gallery & Frye Art Studio Gone Fishing Sell & Trade Book Shop Harmon's Antiques & Hand Crafted Furniture J & A General Store Lenoir Service League Thrift Store Luna Cycles

Main Street Photography Marvins One Stop Mary Kaye Clothing & Jewelry Repair My Happy Place Gallery Panaderia Betania Bakery Rococo Rionel Rusty Rooster Sevenfold Gifts & Hotdog Café Vintage & Artisan Gift Shop Walgreens

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8 26

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

A New Dimension Aiken Controls All Star Sports Publications Allied Financial Analytical Services, Inc. AT&T Atlantic Management Center, Inc. Baumberger Law Office BB&T Beach Law Office Blue Ridge Emergency Perparedness Group, LLC Brian’s Bail Bonds Cannon Law Firm Carter Bank & Trust Castle Court Properties, LLC Clark & Clark, PA Law Office Capital Bank Cook Office & Apartments Correll & Correll Law Firm Delk Law Offices, PA Douglas Law Office Edward Jones Fleischer Law Office Forbes Printing Global Shippers & Associates Great State Bank Griffin Real Estate Groom, Tuttle, Pike & Blair Law Office Harper Art Studio

1 2 3 4

Ridge St. and Ashe Ave. Ashe Ave. and Main St. Ashe Ave. and Church St. Ashe Ave. and Boundary St.

30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57

Hidden Springs Counceling Center Jesse Plaster Architecture Judd Law Offices Keller Law Office Kincaid Insurance Laurel Park Medical Pavilion Lee & Smith Attorney Law Office Loyal Duke Concierge LPL Financial Lynx Investigative Services N.W.S. Financial Nick Greene Web Development Pearce Law Office, PA Potter Law Office, PA Prestwood Associates Respess & Jud Law Office Spiffy Clean Stilwell Associates Studio 102 Sun Trust Bank Templeman Eye Clinic & Hearing Center Troyumus Inc. Vanderbloemen & White, PA Law Office Voya Insurance & Financial Services Whisnant Law Offices Wilcox & Wilcox Accountants Wilson, Lackey & Rohr, P.C. Law Offices Younce Insurance

PUBLIC PARKING LOTS 5 6 7 8

1 2 3 4 5 6

1841 Café Restaurant Bella Torte Bistro & Charlie’s Pub Carolina Distillery City Billards City Café Corner Creamery

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

American Beauty Salon Central Barber Shop Curt's Barber Shop In Light Yoga & Wellness Center Joni's Swoops Living Well Massage Therapy Main Street Nail & Skin Care

8 9 10 11 12 13

Highland Coffee House Howard’s Brewery Loe’s Brewing Company Piccolo’s Pizza Pour House & Grill

Mary's Nail Project RX Reflexology Foot Care Salon Savvy Stylistics Hair Salon Supreme Beauty Salon

NON-PROFITS 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22

First Baptist Church Lenoir First United Methodist Church Lenoir Harper School of Performing Arts Helping Hands Clinic Lenoir Church for Christ Lenoir Presbyterian Church Lenoir Soup Kitchen Piecemaker’s Quilting Club Robin’s Nest Second Bloom Boutique / Shelter Home of Caldwell County 23 St. James Episcopal Church 24 Trinity Baptist Church

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

American Legion Lenoir Post 29 Caldwell Arts Council Caldwell County Heritage Musuem Caldwell County Smart Start Caldwell Education Foundation, Inc. Caldwell Friends Caldwell Hospice and Palliative Care Central Advent Christain Church College Avenue Baptist Church Community in Schools Caldwell County 11 Davenport Elementary School 12 Family Resource Center

GOVERNMENT OFFICES/SERVICES 1 2 3 4

Caldwell County Courthouse Caldwell County EMS Caldwell County Office of Probation and Parole Caldwell County Offices

5 6 7 8

City of Lenoir City Hall City of Lenoir Fire Department City of Lenoir Police Department Downtown Square

NATIONAL REGISTER HISTORIC BUILDING DESIGNATION

PUBLIC RESTROOMS

Ashe Ave. Harper Ave. and Boundary St. Harper Ave. and Boundary St./Church St. Harper Ave. and Boundary St. (across from P6)

7 8 9 10 11

PERSONAL SERVICES

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

WEST AVENUE

ONE WAY

13

CALDWELL COUNTY OFFICES

16

3 43

DOWNTOWN SQUARE

3

8 CITY OF LENOIR POLICE DEPARTMENT

15

10

H. LEWIS PRICE STREET

WILLOW STREET

22

30

1

8

6 5

7

CALDWELL COUNTY COURTHOUSE

RIDGE STREET

5

6

3

10

MULB ERRY STREET

15

25

4

7 12 54 12 9 8 21 33 20 2

MAIN STREET

18

2

4

CHU RCH STREET

5 3

BOUNDARY STREET

DOWNUM STREET

4

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

9 10 11 12

Harper Ave. and Main St. Main St. (entrance off of Mulberry St.) West Ave. (across from Post Office) West Ave. (beside EMS building)

ON-STREET PARKING Primary on-street parking (Some spaces may be limited to 2hr parking.)

Updated Business Listings at DowntownLenoirNC.com

DOWNTOWN MAP KIOSK

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DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO

BANNER FLAGS DESTINATION BY DESIGN | PLACE BRANDING PORTFOLIO

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• Interactive map 14

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