Tamarac's main strengths for business development are the endless supply of unused storefronts and undeveloped land. I have noticed that Tamarac has been losing quite a bit of business while other cities are attracting more. I think this is due to a couple of things:
- Aging storefronts in need of redevelopment
Nobody is really drawn to shopping in a forty year old building with an ugly storefront. Many of the buildings stores operate out of in Tamarac fit this description and it turns off customers. In many other neighborhoods, you see investment in beautifying older storefronts and it pays dividends.
- Lack of attractions
There is really no reason for outsiders to come to Tamarac and no way for residents to really get all their day-to-day shopping done within city limits. For outsiders, we need development of locations that fill a niche not met by surrounding neighborhoods - maybe an outdoor retail center in the vein of Coconut Creek's Promenade with movie theaters, fast/casual restaurants, virtual reality rooms, gaming bars, artisan coffee shops, etc.
- Focus on big box stores at the expense of small businesses
With the population getting younger and younger, there will be a greater and greater desire for small, niche businesses and less of a draw to big box stores. Several big box stores are having to close up shop due to this demographic shift. If you want proof of this, go to Walmart or Target and see how many young people you spot; now, compare that to the number you spot at Tate's Comics or Pieology.
The east side of Tamarac has four new-construction communities, and the area's retail options should reflect the interests of its new residents. It would be great to be able to dine at nicer restaurants such as Brio, Cooper's Hawk, and Big Bear. With the Target on Commercial now gone, there are not many nearby options that offer a wide variety of products. Building a Whole Foods in its place would be ideal. There are already so many dollar stores, check cashing stores, etc., but higher-end options would make a lot of residents very happy. A Starbucks on Commercial near the Turnpike would be amazing, as the traffic on Commercial when traveling to the one on University turns a coffee stop into a very long trip. I'm also anxiously awaiting for when the land in Central Parc is finally turned into a park.