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Survey shows local microbusinesses squeezed; city and partners relaunch 'Choose Humboldt' and expand Friday Night Market
Summary
A countywide business survey presented to the council found most local firms are microbusinesses with tight margins; organizers announced a relaunch of the regional Choose Humboldt shop‑local campaign and said Friday Night Market drew roughly 7,300 visitors to Old Town on the first night measured.
Eureka — City economic staff and local business groups presented results of an economic vitality survey that underscores the small scale of many Eureka area firms and the challenges they face.
Nancy Olsen, CEO of the Greater Eureka Chamber of Commerce, and partners from Eureka Main Street reported that of the 169 respondents in the Eureka dataset, a large share are microbusinesses (nearly 80% report 10 or fewer employees) and about half have annual gross revenue under $300,000; a notable subset (43 respondents) reported annual revenue under $50,000. The survey identified leading challenges: rising costs, rent and operations expenses, decreased sales and difficulty attracting qualified staff. Respondents also cited safety concerns (vandalism, theft, loitering) as affecting operations.
In response, the city is partnering with Humboldt Made, the Chamber and SBDC to relaunch Choose Humboldt, a regional shop‑local marketing campaign intended to strengthen local customer loyalty and connect businesses with marketing and grant supports. Rosa Dixon, executive director of Humboldt Made, said organizers will run an 18‑month marketing plan across radio, print, social media and in‑store signage to encourage spending at local businesses.
Dixon also presented Friday Night Market data gathered via Placer AI (aggregate cell‑phone geofencing): the first measured market had about 7,300 visitors between 5 and 9 p.m., roughly half from Eureka ZIP codes and half from outside the city, with an average visit of 57 minutes. Dixon said Market changes this season (fewer food trucks, improved generator placement and more vendor coordination) aim to direct more attendees into adjacent brick‑and‑mortar shops.
Councilmembers and presenters discussed Placer AI methodology (area‑code/ZIP inferences, geofencing and foot‑traffic tracking) and noted limitations: the tool estimates residency based on the majority of a device’s time in an area rather than phone number registration.
The survey and campaign reflect a city priority to support small and microbusinesses and connect local dollars with local economic resilience; staff said full survey data and slides will be made public.
