The Cool Factor: How to Attract Indie Brands Locals Love
Some towns have it. That downtown magic.
The kind of place where you go for lunch and accidentally spend the whole afternoon.
Where shops feel like extensions of the people who run them.
Where the energy is buzzy, but not corporate.
Quirky, but not chaotic.
Cool.
What’s the secret sauce?
It’s not a new streetscape. Or another logo mural. Or bringing in a national chain that “might be good for traffic.”
It’s indie brands. The local ones. The soulful ones. The scrappy, stylish, story-rich businesses that know your downtown isn’t just a pin on a map—it’s a place people call home.
So how do you attract them?
Let’s talk about the cool factor.
And why it matters now more than ever.
But cool alone doesn’t pay rent.
And that’s where you, Downtown Development Authority leader, Main Street manager, or economic developer—come in.
Indie brands want to show up in your downtown.
But they’re asking:
Will I be supported here?
Will I be seen—and not just as a rent check?
Will I be competing with a chain across the street that got incentives I never heard about?
They’re not looking for handouts. They’re looking for people who get what they’re trying to build.
That’s where place curation matters more than space leasing. And that’s where Terra Alma does our best work.
Three ways to attract indie brands (and make your downtown cooler instantly):
01. Get intentional with your mix.
Stop filling space. Start crafting story.
If your downtown has five boutiques, two bakeries, and zero healthy lunch spots near the coworking hub—you don’t need another candle shop. You need variety.
Curate like a neighborhood editor, not a spreadsheet manager. Think:
What’s missing?
What’s already thriving?
Who’s quietly operating from a home kitchen, looking for a shot?
We help towns identify these gaps—and the local talent to fill them.
02. Support visibility, not just viability.
Most small businesses don’t have PR teams.
They have one exhausted founder doing everything.
You can help by giving indie brands:
Shoutouts on your DDA channels
Inclusion in local itineraries or “things to do” lists
Beautiful signage or shared branding opportunities
Small business owners remember who gave them their first spotlight.
And then there’s culture.
03. Make your pitch human.
If you want soulful brands, show a little soul.
Don’t just send a PDF with square footage and rent. Send a note that says:
“We’ve been watching your growth and think you’d be a killer fit in our downtown. There’s a space near the weekend market that feels like you. Want to see it?”
That one sentence might be the reason they take the leap.
TL;DR (too long didnt read):
Indie brands are the heartbeat of cool.
They drive foot traffic. They create sticky loyalty. They become the places your residents brag about to their out-of-town friends.
They don’t need a Starbucks next door.
They need a town that believes in them before the world catches on.
And if you’re ready to create that kind of place—we’re here to help.
💡Let’s Start Here
If you’re a developer, city leader, or business owner and want to create something that matters, that lasts, and that feels alive — we are ready.
→ Let’s talk about your downtown.
→ Let’s bring walkability back.
→ Let’s find space for your story.
This is what we do at terra alma.
Fill out this form for an initial consultation!🚶♀️🏡✨
*Inspired by Ryan M. Allen’s - The School Pickup Line is a National Embarrassment