Panelists recommend events, beautification and grants to turn visitors into customers in Auburn
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Summary
Business leaders and city officials at an Auburn town hall proposed boosting 'dwell time' through beautification, event coordination and targeted marketing; they also outlined grant support and code approaches to address vacant storefronts.
A panel of city staff and business leaders used a community town hall to lay out practical steps they say could bring more visitor dollars into Auburn’s downtown and Old Town areas.
Panelists urged tactics to increase "dwell time"—getting visitors to stay after a meal or event so they shop local. "We're trying to make an experience ... we want someone to come in and have that meal and then maybe go shopping," said a local business leader during the discussion. Panel members recommended coordinated promotion of events, improved storefront presentation and fix‑and-flourish approaches for long-vacant properties.
Several participants highlighted events and venues that already bring people to Auburn, including endurance races (the canyons/Western States corridor), Josephine's, Odd Fellows and the soon-to-open The Vault. The panel said the city is working to better capture those visitors; suggested actions ranged from asking businesses to stay open during events to cross-promotional tactics and a unified events calendar on ExploreAuburnCA.com.
Speakers described practical pilot work on vacant properties and grants to reduce barriers to opening. City Manager Sean Rabay said staff are using a mix of code enforcement and financial assistance for long-term vacancies and cited an existing 'last mile' grant program that helped The Vault and Hillmont with fixture funding. Rabay said the program cannot fund labor items due to prevailing-wage constraints but has supplied fixtures and furniture to speed openings.
Ideas offered by business owners and residents included family-friendly draws (miniature golf, scavenger hunts, augmented-reality trails), more nightlife and live music, improved wayfinding and additional parking. Panelists said coordinated social-media outreach — including a stronger TikTok presence — and distributing the chamber magazine outside the city are low-cost ways to attract nearby visitors.
What’s next: volunteers and the Economic Development Committee will continue to refine a marketing calendar and identify grant recipients; attendees were invited to help implement pilot projects and join the committee’s volunteer roster.