Economist David Birch coined the term "gazelle" to refer to small businesses that double their size every four years. Charlie Gandy says these gazelles are incredibly useful when it comes to placemaking.
Gandy posits that gazelles "...bring a healthy dose of creative talent and out-of-the-box thinking to their entrepreneurial mix," and "...see themselves as progressive artisans and thought leaders and feel empowered to spread their enthusiasm with fellow local business owners".
Gandy writes from Long Beach, California, where a couple of gazelles have pushed the city to allow them the freedom to create "parklets" in front of their restaurants. The parklets "...have brought extraordinary results to both their businesses and very positive media tention to Long Beach as a progressive city ready to try out new ideas."
Read the full story: Gazelles & the Art of Placemaking
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City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
KFH Group Inc.
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello